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If you spot a herd of buffalo lumbering through Lower Manhattan this September, don't panic. They're not lost—they're art.
On September 19 and 20, 50 life-sized buffalo puppets will roam through Lower Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn as part of Return of the Buffalo: Tatanka Owe Akupi, a free public art event that promises to turn city streets into a moving performance. The spectacle will feature 100 New Yorkers operating the buffalo puppets as they weave through the city, accompanied by live music, dance, tribal ceremonies, gospel choirs, marching bands and performances at public spaces along the route. Organizers say spectators won't just watch the procession—they'll be invited to join it.
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The ambitious project comes from playwright and director Amir Nizar Zuabi, who created the production in partnership with elders from the Lenape and Lakota Tribes. It's being presented by St. Ann's Warehouse, The Walk Productions and KBH Arts—the same team behind Little Amal, the towering puppet of a Syrian refugee girl whose emotional walk across New York captivated audiences in 2022.
But why buffalo? The American buffalo (officially the United States' national mammal) is central to the work's message. Once driven to the brink of extinction during the 19th century, the species is now a symbol of resilience, survival and restoration, especially for Native communities. Organizers say the production is intended as an opportunity 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.
"The land that we call America today has been here for far more than 250 years, and this production memorializes that," Zuabi said in a statement. "The United States presents great hope, promise, and potential, as well as a history of destruction and loss. In this moment, we have a civic duty to come together as a community of global citizens to usher in a new chapter in America's history, one that learns from its past, with empathy and respect for the land and all humans living on it."
The puppets themselves are designed by the South African collective Ukwanda Puppets under the direction of puppetry director Craig Leo; they were built in Brooklyn Bridge Park this August. Along the route, the herd will pause at sites of historical significance, where performances and ceremonies will unfold around them. Featured artists include Rhiannon Giddens, Laurie Anderson, Nathalie Joachim, Dither, Caridad De La Luz, Cannupa Hanska Luger, Native Pride Dancers, Pilobolus, Fogo Azul marching band, Heather Christian and the Terce Choir, and the Brooklyn United Marching Band.
On September 18, the buffalo herd will march through Lower Manhattan from 5pm to 7:30pm, beginning at Bowling Green Park and ending the day in Foley Square, with artistic events popping up along the route. The following day, you'll catch the bovine brigade hoofing it through Downtown Brooklyn from 2pm to 4:30pm. The Brooklyn procession will travel from Abolitionist Place to Brooklyn Bridge Park, with artistic activations along the way.