What did people eat, besides buffalo?
While buffalo have always been the most important source of meat and other products, ancient peoples ate many different kinds of food. Animals such as elk, deer, and antelope were regularly hunted for food. Dogs were sometimes also eaten. Fish and shellfish were important in the diets of peoples in eastern South Dakota and along the Missouri River. Waterfowl were also occasionally hunted. Rabbits, turtles, prairie dogs, and just about any animal could be and was eaten at various times. Smaller animals could be very important in times of drought. Plant foods were also very important. Many wild seeds such as goosefoot and amaranth can be readily harvested over much of the state, as can wild onion. The prairie turnip (timpsila in Lakota) was a staple of both ancient and modern Indians peoples. A great variety of berries can also be found in the state.
