Pueblo of Picuris Bison Agricultural Project

The Pueblo of Picuris has a significant, historical relationship with bison. Until its near extinction in the 1800s, bison thrived on the Mora Valley plains and were critical to the survival of Picuris people. Picuris is dedicated to restoring the bison population in a manner that is culturally compatible with tribal beliefs and practices through their Bison Agricultural Project. Established in 2000, the project provides a nutritious food source for tribal members and promotes self-sufficiency and economic development through meat and by-product sales. The program currently distributes meat to every tribal household four times a year and to the Picuris Tiwa bi-lingual class at Peñasco Independent Schools.

The Program’s goal is to build a healthy, sustainable food source for their people and reduce diet-related disease. The project’s health initiative combats diabetes, heart disease, and obesity, which are diseases not indigenous to the tribe.  The project has trained community members in farming, fencing, ranching, and animal husbandry for the continuation of cultural practices and indigenous food sources.

Bison hides provide leather for clothing,  footwear and teepees, and traditionally there were many others uses for the entire buffalo. The hooves and the horns were made into bowls, spoons, ladles and tools.  Bones were used for painting with, and for toys. There is a poster available that shows the bison's anatomy and all the ways the body parts were used. Everything was used even the undigested grass in their belly, it was used for paint and the manure was used for fuel in the old days. The Picuris Bison Program has bison skulls available for sale on an ongoing basis. To see samples and prices click here, and to purchase contact them at the phone number or email address below.

The tribe has slowly built up the herd since they acquired one animal, a pregnant cow, in 1991. As a member of the Intertribal Bison Cooperative, which includes 55 members nationwide, the pueblo is one of the five northern New Mexico pueblos that keep herds.  They all work cooperatively to establish new blood lines - Picuris recently traded a bull with Pojoaque - and keep the animals vaccinated, wormed, and in good health.  One bull weighs more than 2,000 pounds.

While the traditional herds that roamed the Mora Valley are only a distant memory, Picuris and its partners are doing what they can to resurrect the relationship of the bison and the pueblo people.

Picuris Pueblo Bison Program
PO Box 127, Penasco, NM 87553
Phone:  (505) 587-1077
Fax: (505) 587-1071
ppbisonp@aol.com
ITBC Board of Director: Danny Sam