
The Icon – li buffloo (the buffalo)
The Métis have a deep reverence for the buffalo, as it is an essential part of their identity and culture. The Métis fiercely guarded their customary rights to hunt and trade freely throughout the Prairies. Besides being an important food-gathering activity and a commercial endeavour, the buffalo hunts brought together families who saw each other only a few times a year. Every Spring and Autumn, Métis would gather on the Red River for the buffalo hunts, where they would also elect a provisional government.
It is believed that the spirit of the buffalo guides the Métis people, providing them with strength and courage. The buffalo is a symbol of abundance and prosperity, reminding the Métis of the connection between the land and their ancestors. A dual representation of the company core values and Métis Culture, the symbolism of the Buffalo is that of power, safety, strength, life’s sacredness, durability and earth-centeredness.