BROWNING — At first glance, it might seem like an odd pairing: Asian elephants and American Buffalo, but in Browning during the annual Iinnii (IN-EE) Days — also known as Buffalo Days — that unexpected connection is at the heart of a powerful art installation and cultural conversation.
The Great Elephant Migration is a global traveling exhibit of towering elephant sculptures made by The Real Elephant Collective, a community of 200 Indigenous artisans from the Bettakurumba, Paniya, Kattunayakan, and Soliga communities of India’s Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, Tamil Nadu.
Watch to learn about the purpose of the Elephant Collective:
The rows of material that carve out the elephant’s shape aren’t wood, but an invasive weed called lantana.
“Lantana is a weed that's choking the forest where these elephants come from. They can't eat it because it’s toxic,” explained Elephant Family USA chairman Feh Tarty. “The indigenous people basically started to take the material out to create these beautiful, majestic creatures. They're life-size, and they're all in the image of the elephants in the region.”
News of the elephant’s arrival floated around Facebook and by word of mouth in the Browning community, with many thinking that the sculptures were real.
Despite being art, the Elephant Parade stood tall against the backdrop of the Rocky Mountain Front, creating a stunning visual that stops locals and visitors in their tracks.
The exhibit brought unexpected joy for Browning Elementary School student, William, “I was excited to see them. They were really big once I got up close to them.”
The sculptures are doing more than just catching eyes, they’re sparking dialogue.
Elephants, like buffalo, are matriarchal keystone species that shape their landscapes and ecosystems while carrying ancient ancestral and cultural teachings and meaning.
“The art is a way to get people viscerally engaged. I think this natural pull that nature has to us is strong and that's what these elephants do to sort of create that conversation where we can start to think about what is our relationship with wildlife and with nature," Tarty added.
What started out as a way to preserve and restore the natural wildlife habitat has grown into a worldwide fundraiser — one that aligns with the Blackfeet’s mission to restore buffalo herds on the reservation.
For Tarty, the elephant’s story is a connection between different people and culture.
“I'm from West Africa, from an indigenous community there, and I see my story in these elephants, and I see my story in the story of Blackfeet. This connection to nature and the fact that we're from all different parts of the world, it goes deeper than the art.”
The elephants will be at the Buffalo Spirit Hills Ranch on U.S. Highway 89 outside of Browning through June 6 at the community-led Iinnii days.
The sculptures will also be on view and accessible to the public through June 16.
The national journey follows stops in Newport, Rhode Island, New York City’s Meatpacking District, Miami Beach, Florida, and Houston, Texas.
Montana’s stop will occur simultaneously with the presentation of the other half of the herd in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
All 100 elephant statues will reconvene in Los Angeles, marking the end of the 1,000-mile migration journey in the United States.
As Iinnii days continue with ceremonies, dances, and community events, the elephants stand quietly in the background — but their presence is loud.
