Sandra Hale Schulman
ICT
The latest: Buffalo stampede in NYC streets, horses in Indian Country, Indigenous fashion takes the runway
ART: A buffalo parade with music and dance
Wild American buffalo never roamed New York City, but the metropolis hosted thousands of bison in captivity, and played a pivotal role in saving the species from extinction in the early 20th century.
On Sept. 19-20, 50 life-sized buffalo puppets will roam through the streets of Lower Manhattan and in downtown Brooklyn as part of “Return of the Buffalo: Tatanka Owe Akupi,” an interactive public art experience.
New York puppeteers will maneuver the buffalo puppets through city streets, interact with the audience and invite them to join in on the march. Live performances, tribal ceremonies, activations with acclaimed actors, civic leaders, gospel choirs, dance troupes, marching bands, musicians, and tribal leaders will liven up parks, plazas, and town squares along the route.
This buffalo puppet will be among 50 nearly life-sized bison puppets roaming through Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn Sept. 19-20, 2026, as part of an interactive public art experience, “Return of the Buffalo: Tatanka Owe Akupi.”
“Return of the Buffalo” was created by Amir Nizar Zuabi in partnership with elders from the Lenape and Lakota tribes. The buffalo, the national mammal, is a symbol of resilience, reckoning, and repair, chosen for its strong connection to North America’s original people.
“Return of the Buffalo” acknowledges the complexity of the United States as it celebrates the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence by sharing the story of the mammal brought to the brink of extinction in the late 19th century.
“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,” Zuabi said. “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.”
Designed by Cape Town collective Ukwanda Puppets and led by puppetry director Craig Leo, the buffalo will be fabricated locally of natural materials.
FILM: ‘Horse Power’
The modern world was built on the back of the horse, and a new film, “Horse Power,” explores the extraordinary ability of horses and their bond with humanity. The most powerful segment is on wild mustangs and a Diné horse listener in Arizona who earns their trust and loyalty one ride at a time.
Clayson Benally is an internationally acclaimed Diné artist, performer with Sihasin, and cultural practitioner in music, dance, education, and he also works as a horse listener, silversmith, and traditional Navajo medicine practitioner. His work has been featured by NPR, PBS, ARTE TV, National Geographic, and numerous films, documentaries, and global media outlets.
The film, which will be showing in theaters across the country, is directed by Rob Sullivan and narrated by Josh Brolin. The producer/creator is Sun Shuyun, with co-producer Mark Brownlow.
In the film, Benally is seen charging across breathtaking Arizona red rock landscapes on horseback.
“I come from the Bitter Water Clan,” Benally told Fort Worth Magazine, “We’re from the Black Mesa region, in the heart of the Navajo Nation. My father is a traditional practitioner, but we grew up ranching — sheep, cattle, and horses. For me, it was a blessing to witness the ecosystem and our culture intact, with large herds, self-sustaining, and balanced.”
In sunbaked Northern Arizona, Benally learned early that the back of a horse is a place of freedom, connection, and understanding. He rides with no saddle, no reins, just a belt to move with the rhythm of the animal. For Benally, horses are teachers, companions, and carriers of stories older than memory.
“The horse has been with us since the beginning of time,” Benally said. “They carry our burdens, our lessons, and our connection to the land.”“We’re a massive horse-loving country, but awareness of wild horses is incredibly low. This film gives us an opportunity to tap into that love and remind people that wild horses are still running free in very remote parts of the West.
“Sometimes, it takes a horse to carry us through to a deeper understanding of what it means to be human.”
FASHION: Native style takes Manhattan
Indigenous New York Fashion Week brings together the world’s leading Indigenous designers, artists, performers, and cultural creators during New York Fashion Week, which this year runs from Sept. 10-15.
Indigenous New York Fashion Week is partnering with the Council of Fashion Designers of America, and the runway presentations will be livestreamed by the fashion council at Rockefeller Center.
Indigenous New York Fashion Week will bring together top Indigenous designers, artists, performers, and cultural creators during New York Fashion Week from Sept. 10-15, 2026. This photo was taken at the 2025 event.
Featuring 30 Indigenous designers, 120 Indigenous models, and a fully Indigenous-led hair, makeup, styling, and production team, this year’s gathering will be one of the largest of contemporary Indigenous fashion talent ever presented during New York Fashion Week.
Happening in the heart of the Garment District at The American Indian Community House, there will be fashion leaders, media, collectors, cultural institutions, and consumers looking for authentic cultural experiences.
Indigenous New York Fashion Week co-founders and executive directors, Korina Emmerich (Puyallup) and Liana Shewey (Mvskoke), also serve as the co-founders and executive directors of Relative Arts, an Indigenous-owned community arts organization, store, and creative hub in New York City. They founded INYFW to create a global platform to amplify Indigenous designers, artists, and storytellers in the fashion industry.
Beyond the runway, Indigenous New York Fashion week will hosta week-long celebration of pop-up markets, brand activations, VIP events, artist talks, and a headline concert at TV Eye.
The post INDIGENOUS A&E: Tatanka takeover, horse history, NYC fashion appeared first on ICT.
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