When we think about healing at the table at Tanka Fund, it starts with Buffalo restoration.
Bringing Buffalo back to Native stewards means reconnecting the people to the land as well as the herd. Restoration fortifies cultural knowledge and bolsters Native economies — all of which comes full circle to the plate, at the table. These ways have sustained Native people for generations.
That’s why this year’s theme of “Healing at the Table” for Makoce Agriculture Development’s fifth Annual Convergence feels deeply connected to our work. On September 4, Tanka Fund will lead the final day at Healing at the Table, which takes place at Woyute Regenerative Production Farm in Porcupine, South Dakota. Our continued partnership with Makoce is particularly significant because of our similar mission focused on Indigenous agriculture and communities. In addition, its founder and CEO, Nick Hernandez, is a Tanka Fund board member.
We have planned a full day centered on Buffalo teachings, stewardship, and the people carrying this work forward — none of which could happen without our rancher partners. Attendees will get the opportunity to learn from them, as well as others in the industry, at our Rancher Roundtable over lunch provided by The Hangry Buffalo. Other event highlights are a full lineup of speakers, door prizes, a tea and coffee bar, meals featuring Buffalo (with vegan options), and a community BINGO night with prizes.
This is a first-of-its-kind event for Tanka Fund, and we look forward to making it an annual tradition. For Tanka Fund Executive Director Dawn Sherman, healing at the table means safety.
“I see a safe space to be who you are with your community – with a diverse group of people who are able to support healing and thrive together as individuals,” said Dawn. “I see a place of smiles and proud faces. Where we can be free of a day heavy with burdens and laugh, eat, visit, cry, and enjoy the moments that got you to the table in the first place.”
