After more than a century, the Lipan Apache tribe in Texas is reestablishing its connection with the buffalo through the Texas Tribal Buffalo Project. Founded by Lucille Contreras, the initiative has introduced a herd of nine bison to 77 acres of ancestral land in Waelder, Texas. This effort not only revives a vital cultural and spiritual relationship but also aims to expand buffalo herding practices among Indigenous communities across the state. The project symbolizes a broader movement toward healing, sovereignty, and ecological restoration for Native peoples in Texas.

The Texas Tribal Buffalo Project (TTBP), dedicated to healing the generational trauma of Lipan Apache descendants and other Native nations, has announced its intention to become a signatory of the Buffalo Treaty. This commitment aligns with TTBP’s mission to restore the historical relationship and cultural identity inherent in the Lipan Apache-bison connection. Through initiatives like intertribal internships and community programs, TTBP seeks to make bison products accessible and provide educational experiences that reconnect people with the land and their Indigenous heritage.