WHY CUYA?      

The Re-Emergence of Buffalo Spirit:
When Modern and Ancient Art Align  by Paul Robear

Sculpture in Plaster, steel, and patina  /  2005  /  Unique  /  Private Collection
Matthew Gray Palmer, Artist

I was captivated by a sculpture when we dropped by our friend Annie’s antique shop to say hello.  I had to “rescue” it.

What I saw in this statue, I saw Buffalo Man, embodied — as symbol, guide, and guardian. Spokesman for several Native American cultures, representative of the sacred relationship between humans and the natural world. For those of us seeking a deeper path, the mythology of Buffalo Man offers both a mirror and a map, guiding us toward right relationship, humility, and reverence for the Earth. 

In some versions of this myth, a buffalo-headed man appears first, representing the raw power of nature before it is tempered by wisdom. The Cheyenne tell of buffalo people who lived beneath the Earth and emerged to teach humans how to live in balance. Blackfoot, Crow, and other nations have their own stories of beings who bridge the gap between animal and human, spirit and flesh.

Buffalo Man is rich in symbolism. He embodies sacrifice, as the buffalo offered its life so the people could live. He reminds us that the gifts of the Earth are not free… they are given in a sacred exchange. He arises from this deep relationship, carrying teachings of abundance, sacrifice, balance, and gratitude. Buffalo Man, in many traditions, is the embodiment of that spirit. He is not simply a mythic figure but a manifestation of the sacred buffalo energy in human form, often appearing in stories as a guide, shape-shifter, or bringer of spiritual insight.

Today, the spirit of Buffalo Man still walks among us. In visions, dreams, trance states, and ritual, this ancient figure returns as a living archetype. At the Cuyamungue Institute, we’ve seen how such mythic beings arise in Ritual Body Posture session, emerging from the deep well of the collective unconscious, or perhaps from ancestral memory. Participants sometimes describe being visited or guided by a buffalo-headed figure, or embodying one themselves. In this sense, Buffalo Man is not just a story we tell, but a presence we feel. He challenges us to restore the sacred hoop, to remember our place in the web of life.

Buffalo Spirit emerges when we are ready to remember. He brings us back to the truth that all life is interwoven, that the Earth provides, and that we are part of a sacred exchange. His power lies not in domination, but in generosity. His medicine is the reminder that to take from the Earth without giving back is to lose our soul’s direction. When he emerges, it is often to wake us up—to remind us that the Earth is alive, watching, and waiting for our return. In this, our quests align, and we imagine it was so too, for those shamans who donned the bison horns and robes so long ago. 

The Sorcerer, Grotte de Gabillou
My wife Laura instantly saw in this statue the modern re-emergence of the Bison-Man of Ice Age France. The famous Sorcerer of Grotte de Gabillou (12000 BCE) is the etching on the cave wall of a shaman in ritual, transforming through his trance state, depicted as a bison-man hybrid. We had a great pleasure of visiting the cave in 2017.  In this Laura sees the dance to stir Mother Earth’s embrace of her living biosphere, acknowledging the power, fecundity, and majesty of our fellow members of the Web of Life. In this, we  see affirmation that the direct experience of metamorphosis through ASC has a long, rich history, one that we continue with our work with Ritual Postures. 
Post Script: The power of art is largely in our response to it, and what it invokes and stirs within. Our musings are not necessarily those of the artist. But we are curious to inquire of Matthew Gray Palmer what inspired this piece, and if we get the chance to ask him — we have a mutual friend — we’ll post it here.
Artist Statement from Matthew Gray Palmer

“The degree of symbolism in my work varies from piece to piece. I find that the most interesting images are ambiguous by nature and therefore replete with a personal symbolism for any one individual viewer’s interpretation. Although I work in a variety of styles, each piece is manifest from a unified intention and process of seeing.

I am interested in exploring matter/energy dynamics and transformations as elements assemble, propagate, consume, and manifest a myriad of forms, creatures, landscapes and respective systems. Themes that appear in various ways throughout my work include harmonic resonances, complimentary structures, the interface between apparent dichotomous relationships such as bodies/space, predator/prey, birth/death, charge/magnetism, quantum oscillations in space and time – and the levels of perception that this duality breaks down to become unified. Most broad in its influence is a continuous sense of wonder and awe inspired in the life experience leading us to further explore and understand our nature.”

– Matthew Gray Palmer