The bison was at the very centre of the way of life of the Plains Indians.
The big mammal provided food, and also material to make tools, clothes and the well-known tepees. The nomadic tribes followed the bison in its seasonal migrations, but, at the same time, they also had a communal, village way of life.

The appearance of horses in the plains of the North-West in the first half of the 18th century revolutionized the way of life of the region's inhabitants.
The Plains Indians quickly became matchless horsemen; the horse became not only a vital means of travel, but also a symbol of individual prestige in a community.
Together, horses and guns turned the peoples of the Plains into efficient hunters and formidable warriors.

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