Reasons to Try Buffalo Wasna
One ounce of wasna contains 8.5 grams of protein, 9.5 grams of fructose, and is 100 calories.
Wasna can raise your iron level within 15 minutes.
Buffalo meat has 1.44 times as much iron per ounce than beef, and 70% to 90% less fat than beef.
Buffalo meat has an average of 50% less cholesterol.
A small 0.4 ounce protion of buffalo meat has more protein than 6 eggs.
A long time ago, when the Lakota people ate wasna daily, they never had diabetes, heart disease, or cancer.
What is Wasna?
"Wa" means anything, and "sna" means ground up.
Buffalo wasna (also known as "pemmican") is a type of Lakota food made with dried buffalo, dried berries, and fat or bone marrow. Buffalo wasna is an ideal food for nourishment because of its high quality and quantity of protein from the buffalo meat. It is also valued as a traditional food.
An alternative to buffalo wasna is corn meal wasna. Corn came to the northern plains from an extensive trade system with agricultural tribes. The corn was roasted, ground, and mixed with fat and berries. Corn meal wasna today is made with sugar, berries, and butter. It is a type of Lakota candy.
Wasna was once prepared by grinding together the ingredients on a pounding stone. Today, the grinding can be simulated with a food processor. Commonly incorporated fruit are chokecherries, raisins, blueberries, and cranberries.
History of Wasna
Historically, the Lakota people were high protein eaters and lived a life of feast-and-famine. Large amounts of fresh meat was consumed only after a kill. Other times the Lakota people ate wasna. To ensure survival a "thrifty gene" was developed to support this feast-and-famine lifestyle.
The thrifty gene that was so helpful during the feast-and-famine period that it once protected people from starvation. Today, this gene contributes the retaining of unhealthy amounts of fat, which leads to various health problems.
Red Cloud's Last Speech
Red Cloud's last speech to the Lakota people emphasized the importance the buffalo. "We told [the government officials] that the supernatural powers, Taku Wakan had given to the Lakota the buffalo for food and clothing. We told them that where the buffalo ranged, that is our country. We told them that the country of the buffalo was the country of the Lakota. We told them that the buffalo must have their country and the Lakota must have the buffalo.”
(Red Clouds last speech to the Lakota people in 1903; Ronald Goodmen, 1992, Lakota Star Knowledge, Sinte Gleska University)
Uses of Wasna
Today, many Lakota people consider wasna a sacred food. Wasna, also called "spirit food" because it was eaten by their ancestors, is commonly shared during ceremonies. However, Goes In Center believes that wasna should not be limited to ceremonies. "Eating wasna as way to obtain nourishment, assist those recovering from illness, and bring health back to the people."
According to Goes In Center, she believes that "eating buffalo wasna will prove to be an important tool in the fight against diabetes and other illness among Indian people. An informal experiment was conducted by my tribe where dialysis patients were given wasna. It was noted that the wasna raised the patients' iron level within 15 minutes."
In respect of the circle of life, the concept of balance and reciprocating, the buffalo once again can provided and bring back balance to the people.