Kainai / Blood Tribe Iinnii rematriation relationality between prairie soil, plants, and people

Iiniiksi (plains bison; Bison bison) are ecocultural keystone species that have coevolved in sacred reciprocal relationships with Siksikaitsitapi (Blackfoot People) and nonhuman Saokio (prairie) relatives since time immemorial. The historic decimation of native prairie and Iiniiksi, along with the displacement of Indigenous plains peoples, disrupted this web of prairie interrelationships, creating an imbalance in the grassland ecosystem and the Siksikaitsitapi way of life. Grounded in Blackfoot Ecological Knowledge (BEK) and Siksikaitsitapi Science (SS), my research explores interactions amongst soil, plants, and people resulting from Iinnii rematriation (the return of sacred ways that centers and restores responsibilities and relationships) to Kainaissksaahkoyi (Blood Reserve / Kainai First Nation) to offer a path forward for healing these sacred relationships. I characterized soil and plant communities in nine paired ungrazed and grazed sites on the Kainai Iinnii Rangelands two and three growing seasons after Iinnii returned. I gathered Iinnii relational BEK with five Blackfoot Elders and Knowledge Keepers to better understand the social effects of Iinnii rematriation. After one year of Iinnii grazing, there were no significant differences in soil, plant communities, or the occurrence of traditional plants. Long-term monitoring is needed to capture future Iinnii effects on the landscape. Blood Tribe Land Management (BTLM) can use essential baseline data collected in this study for an Indigenous-led community-based monitoring program. Synthesizing BEK with Western Science (WS) provided invaluable insight to reconnect people to Iinnii and Saokio and guide future Iinnii reintroduction and grassland stewardship efforts.