When we think of all the things the Buffalo provided to Plains Cree people, the first thing we usually think of is mîcim: food, especially in the form of paskwâwi-mostosowiyâs: buffalo meat. With this “Worried Buffalo” sketch, Solomon Ratt gathers some of the many, many other ways the parts of the buffalo were used, ensuring that absolutely nothing went to waste. (No wonder the buffalo looks worried!) Scroll past the image to find audio files for each of the buffalo parts.
| Number | Cree | English | Uses | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | paskwâwi-mostos kâ-isi-âpatisihiht | buffalo: how he/she is used | ||
| 2 | pâhkêkin | tanned hide | maskisina, wêwêpison, tihkinâkan, pipon·mostoswayân, papakiwayâna, mitâs(ak), pakwahtêhona, iskwêwisâkay(a), ospwâkaniwat, pîhtatiwân(ak), mîkiwahp(a), aspikinân(a), awâsisihkân(a). | |
| 3 | âhpin | rawhide | asiwacikana, nakahâskwânak, askihkwak, manakâskisitâna, pakwahtêhona, piskwahpitâwina, maskihkiyiwat, têwêhikanak (mistikwaskihkwak), pîminahkwâna, têhtapiwina, tâpisitêpisona, pîhcikomâna, pasascêhikanisa, môsisinîwata. | |
| 4 | ocêstataya | muscles | cîstatêyâpiy, kahkêwak | |
| 5 | mitêskana | horns | minihkwâkana, iskwêw·piskwapitâwina | |
| 6 | osoy | tail | wawêsihcikanisa, ôcêw-pâwahikan, pasastêhikan | |
| 7 | mîtihp | brain | pahkêkin tôminikan | |
| 8 | wiyin | fat | kisîpîkinikan, pimiy | |
| 9 | mistikânikan | skull | kakêsimon, kiskinawâcihcikan | |
| 10 | mitêyaniy | tongue | mâwaciy-wihkasin | |
| 11 | oskana | bones | mohkomâna, mohkomânitosa, mônihikâkana, kâskahikana, pipon-otâpânak, têhtapiwin, akocikana, pakamâkan(a), pakêsêhkanak | |
| 12 | miyêstawân, omôtayatawêw | beard | wawêsihcikanisa nimâskwâna ohci | |
| 13 | misita | hooves | pasakwahikana, sîsîkwanak | |
| 14 | pîwaya | hair | piskwahpitâwina, têhtapiwin-aspiwina | |
| 15 | mêy | dung | pônâkana | |
| 16 | matay | stomach | askihkwak, minihkwâkana, oyâkana, piminawaso-askihkwak | |
