Editing American bison (section)

==As a symbol==

===Native Americans===
[[File:Big-Medicine.jpg|thumb|right|Big Medicine (1933–1959) was a sacred white buffalo that lived on the [[CSKT Bison Range]] (display at the Montana Historical Society)]]
Among many Native American tribes, especially the [[Plains Indians]], the bison is considered a sacred animal and religious symbol. According to University of Montana anthropology and Native American studies professor S. Neyooxet Greymorning, "The creation stories of where buffalo came from put them in a very spiritual place among many tribes. The buffalo crossed many different areas and functions, and it was utilized in many ways. It was used in ceremonies, as well as to make tipi covers that provided homes for people, utensils, shields, weapons and parts were used for sewing with the sinew."<ref name="NA bison">{{cite news | last=Jawort | first=Adrian | url=http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2011/05/09/genocide-other-means-us-army-slaughtered-buffalo-plains-indian-wars-30798 | title=Genocide by Other Means: U.S. Army Slaughtered Buffalo in Plains Indian Wars | newspaper=Indian Country Today | date=May 9, 2011 | access-date=April 3, 2014 | archive-date=July 2, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160702224953/http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2011/05/09/genocide-other-means-us-army-slaughtered-buffalo-plains-indian-wars-30798 | url-status=dead }}</ref> The [[Sioux]] consider the birth of a [[white buffalo]] to be the return of [[White Buffalo Calf Woman]], their primary cultural prophet and the bringer of their "Seven Sacred Rites". Among the [[Mandan]] and [[Hidatsa]], the [[White Buffalo Cow Society]] was the most sacred of societies for women.

===North America===
The American bison is often used in North America in official seals, flags, and logos. In 2016, the American bison became the [[National symbols of the United States|national mammal of the United States]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/animalia/wp/2016/04/27/how-the-bison-once-nearing-extinction-lived-to-become-americas-national-mammal/|newspaper=Washington Post|author=Elahe Izadi|title=It's official: America's first national mammal is the bison|date=May 9, 2016}}</ref> The bison is a popular symbol in the Great Plains states: Kansas, Oklahoma, and Wyoming have adopted the animal as their official [[List of U.S. state mammals|state mammal]], and many sports teams have chosen the bison as their mascot. In Canada, the bison is the official animal of the province of [[Manitoba]] and appears on the Manitoba flag. It is also used in the official coat of arms of the [[Royal Canadian Mounted Police]].

Several American coins feature the bison, most famously on the reverse side of the "[[Indian Head nickel|buffalo nickel]]" from 1913 to 1938. In 2005, the [[United States Mint]] coined a nickel with a new depiction of the bison as part of its [[Westward Journey Nickel Series|"Westward Journey"]] series. The Kansas and North Dakota state quarters, part of the "[[50 State Quarters|50 State Quarter]]" series, each feature bison. The Kansas state quarter has only the bison and does not feature any writing, while the North Dakota state quarter has two bison. The Montana state quarter prominently features a bison skull over a landscape. The Yellowstone National Park quarter also features a bison standing next to a geyser.

Other institutions which have adopted the bison as a symbol or mascot include:<!-- Hundreds if not thousands of institutions use the bison as a symbol. Please help keep this list manageable by limiting it to institutions of international, national, or regional significance. Locally significant institutions, such as secondary schools, are probably best not included here. -->
{{Columns-list|
* [[U.S. Department of the Interior]]
* [[Bethany College (West Virginia)]]
* [[Bucknell University]] and its athletic program, the [[Bucknell Bison]]
* [[Buffalo, New York]]
* [[Buffalo Bills]]
* [[Buffalo Bisons]]
* [[Buffalo Gap High School]]
* [[Buffalo Grove High School]]
* [[Buffalo Sabres]]
* [[University of Colorado Boulder|University of Colorado]] and its athletic program, the [[Colorado Buffaloes]]
* [[Gallaudet University]]
* [[Harding University]] and its athletic program, the [[Harding Bisons]]
* [[Howard University]] and its athletic program, the [[Howard Bison and Lady Bison|Howard Bison]]
* [[Seal of the State of Indiana]]
* [[Lipscomb University]] and its athletic program, the [[Lipscomb Bisons]]
* [[Coat of arms of Manitoba]]
* [[Flag of Manitoba]]
* [[University of Manitoba]] and its athletic program, the [[Manitoba Bisons]]
* [[Marshall University]] and its athletic program, the [[Marshall Thundering Herd]]
* [[Milligan University]]
* [[Independence Party of Minnesota]]
* [[Ralph Nader]] (mascot for his 2008 campaign for president)<ref>{{cite web |last=Nader |first=The |url=http://www.votenader.org/blog/2008/10/18/buffalo-t-shirt-sale/ |title=Buffalo T-Shirt Sale – Ralph Nader for President in 2008 |publisher=Votenader.org |date=October 18, 2008 |access-date=February 19, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101021052911/http://www.votenader.org/blog/2008/10/18/buffalo-t-shirt-sale/ |archive-date=October 21, 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* [[Nichols College]]
* [[North Dakota State University]] and its athletic program, the [[North Dakota State Bison]]
* [[Oklahoma Baptist University]] and its athletic program, the [[Oklahoma Baptist Bison]]
* [[Point Park University]]
* [[Royal Canadian Mounted Police]]
* [[Rumble the Bison]] (the official mascot of the [[Oklahoma City Thunder]])
* [[Smoky Hill High School]]
* [[Southwestern Law School]]
* [[Tooele High School]] (Utah)
* [[Utah Tech University]] and its athletic program, the [[Utah Tech Trailblazers]]
* [[CFB Wainwright]]
* [[West Texas A&M University]] and its athletic program, the [[West Texas A&M Buffaloes]]
* [[Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo]]
* [[Bloomington Bison]]
}}
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<gallery mode="packed" widths="120px" heights="80px" style="text-align:left" class="center">
Image:Flag of Wyoming.svg|[[Wyoming]] uses a bison in [[flag of Wyoming|its state flag]]
Image:Bison effigy.jpg|Skin effigy of a Buffalo used in the [[Lakota people|Lakota]] [[Sun Dance]]
Image:Flag of Manitoba.svg|[[Manitoba]] uses a bison in [[flag of Manitoba|its provincial flag]], as seen inside the [[Coat of arms of Manitoba|Manitoban coat of arms]]
Image:1935 Indian Head Buffalo Nickel.jpg|The 1935 [[Buffalo nickel]]—this style of coin featuring an American bison was produced from 1913 to 1938
Image:US-$10-LT-1901-Fr.114.jpg|Series 1901 $10 legal tender depicting an American bison
Image:US stamp 1898 4c Indian Hunting Buffalo.jpg|First postage stamp with image of bison was issued US in 1898—4¢ "Indian Hunting Buffalo"
</gallery>