Restoring Buffalo Kinship Across the Southern Plains
Indigenous women leading the rematriation of Buffalo through land stewardship, regenerative foodways, and cultural revival
Indigenous-Led. Matriarchal. Sovereign.
The Texas Tribal Buffalo Project is a Lipan Apache-led, 501(c)(3) nonprofit— the first Native woman-led organization of its kind in Texas. We are restoring kinship between Texas Indigenous Lineal Descendants and our Buffalo relatives through ancestral governance, cultural resilience, and deep care for the Land.
A Future Rooted in Reciprocity and Rematriation
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The Texas Tribal Buffalo Project restores kinship between Texas Indigenous Lineal Descendants and our sacred Buffalo relatives (Iyane’e) through Indigenous-led stewardship, regenerative foodways, and cultural revitalization. Rooted in ancestral wisdom, we heal generational trauma, revive suppressed histories, and rematriate land-based lifeways to empower our people as sovereign caretakers of Southern Plains homelands.
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Our vision is a South Texas where Indigenous peoples lead in climate solutions, land restoration, and food sovereignty. Just as the Buffalo returns to the Southern Plains, so too do our lifeways—rooted in intergenerational healing, matriarchal leadership, and cultural resilience. By combining ancestral knowledge with regenerative practices, we restore what was taken, and build a future where Indigenous presence is visible, sovereign, and thriving.
Our Roots: Prayer, Soil, Kinship
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Prayer & Kinship
We walk in gratitude and relation with Buffalo and community.
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Work Ethic
We build sovereign livelihoods rooted in accountability and care
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Soil Stewardship
Healing begins in the ground through regenerative land care
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Cultural Revitalization
Living practices of language, food, and ceremony
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Community Wellbeing
Centering emotional, spiritual, and physical health
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Education & Access
We open pathways to learn, remember, and reconnect
Why Buffalo? Why Now?
After near extinction, Buffalo are returning to the Southern Plains. Their return is urgent—for soil health, climate resilience, and Indigenous rematriation.
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Their grazing patterns regenerate soil and revive native grasslands
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Being in kinship with Buffalo addresses generational trauma and reconnects us to food sovereignty
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Buffalo show us how to live in balance—with self, community, and Land
“As a Lipan Apache descendant, mother, and nature-loving woman, my vision is to revive and reconnect the relationships between Texas Tribes. Through our regenerative Buffalo herd, food sovereignty, and community programs, we aim to leave a legacy of health and happiness for future generations.”
— Lucille Contreras
CEO & Founder, Texas Tribal Buffalo Project
What Is a Regenerative Herd?
A regenerative Buffalo herd mimics the natural behavior of Iyane’e, healing the land through rotational grazing, biodiversity support, and soil regeneration.
Our stewardship is rooted in ancestral knowledge and guided by the Buffalo themselves.
Walk With Us
Join the movement to rematriate Buffalo, restore the Land, and uplift Indigenous leadership
Become A Volunteer
Partner With Us
Visit the Ranch
Donate To A Campaign
Buffalo Teach Through Story
From the Southern Plains, we share stories of kinship, resistance, and healing
Stay connected to stories rooted in Buffalo and Land.
Each quarter, we share reflections, project updates, and teachings from the herd. Walk with us as we restore sacred relationships across Texas.
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