[Native American] The lives of the Blackfoot Indians of Montana was tied closely to the comings and goings of the great buffalo herds. The bison provided their chief food and material needs. The chief means of killing a great number of the animals was to drive them over a cliff and butcher them after they hurtled down to the rocks below. The same method of slaughter was used on the buffalo plains of Europe during the period of the great caves (c. 10,000 - 30,000 BCE). On walls of these caves in southern France are drawings of masked shamans trying to lure the buffalo with a lively dance step. On the evening before the drive of the buffalo the medicine man of the tribe, usually the possessor of a buffalo rock, took out his pipe, smoked it, and prayed to the Sun for success. The next morning the medicine man buffalo rose early. Before leaving he told his wives they must not leave the lodge, not even look out until he returned. They were to keep sweet grass burning and pray to the Sun for his success an...
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