What does the buffalo symbolize in the novel, The Color of Lightning?

Buffalo symbolize the lifeline of the Kiowa and Comanche. The buffalo is tied to their lifestyle in many ways. It provides their primary source of food and the raw materials to create many other essential supplies. Buffalos also hold a spiritual significance to both tribes, who believe that a being brought forth the buffalo to be their friend and sustenance. The tribes coexist peacefully with buffalos, and their natural patterns are usually in sync with the needs of the Comanche and Kiowa, representing their lack of motivation to become settled farmers.