Life-Sized Buffalo Puppets to Parade Through Lower Manhattan in September, Highlighting American History
In September, Lower Manhattan will host a unique public art event featuring 50 life-sized buffalo puppets. This event, titled 'Return of the Buffalo: Tatanka Owe Akupi,' will take place on September 19 and 20. The buffalo puppets, operated by 150 New Yorkers, will move through the city accompanied by live music, dance, tribal ceremonies, gospel choirs, and marching bands. The event is organized by playwright and director Amir Nizar Zuabi in collaboration with elders from the Lenape and Lakota Tribes, and presented by St. Ann's Warehouse, The Walk Productions, and KBH Arts. The American buffalo, the national mammal of the United States, symbolizes resilience and survival, especially for Native communities. The event aims to reflect on America's history as the country approaches its 250th anniversary, exploring themes of reckoning, renewal, and humanity's relationship with the land. 
