40 Life-Sized Buffalo Puppets March Through Manhattan as an Act of Restoration and Healing
On September 18, 2026, a herd of 40 life-size buffalo puppets marched through Lower Manhattan, leaving people shocked, confused, and delighted. But behind the unusual spectacle was a much deeper meaning. Return of the Buffalo: Tatanka Owe Akupi was created in part to pay homage to the 38 Dakota men who were hanged in Mankato, Minnesota, in 1862, after President Abraham Lincoln approved their executions.












































































