In Kane County, members of the Native American community gathered in December to welcome back a relative that's been missing for generations.

A herd of bison has returned to Burlington Prairie, part of a long-awaited return led by the American Indian Center—honoring Native stewardship of the land and reconnecting culture, history, and community.

"Sometimes we have stories that begin with back in the times when all things spoke," said Robert Wapahi, a tribal elder with the Santee Sioux. "If nothing else, it's the history lessons about what should be done to protect them."

This story starts just after sunrise on Burlington Prairie, where a community came together to honor a return of sorts; a return to land and to home

"For us to be able to be a part of this, it just adds that special moment for us to kind of share," said

"It's different when you're welcoming them back home. That's their home, not mine," Wapahi said.

Bundled up, with clear eyes, a caravan pushed through the cold and the snow to the steady thump of a drumbeat as a community walked through snow to meet what they call their relatives.

Six bison stepped back onto their homeland for the first time in more than a century.

"It's really important and awesome to see another herd that is hitting the ground in a good way," one man said.

More than 200 years ago, bison roamed freely across Illinois, but as the industrial revolution reshaped the landscape, the bison disappeared.

"In protecting them, we're protecting ourselves, because again, they provided us with everything we ever needed," Wapahi said.

Now, after decades of careful land management, there are finally enough bison in the U.S. to bring some back to Illinois, returning in small pockets across their historic North American range.

"It's a great thing that they're doing bringing them back," Lisa Burnell said as she watched alongside her mother and son; three generations together passing on that story. "Their energy, I think is just, it's got such a powerful movement."

The family said this is something that feels both historic and deeply personal. Bison have carried their stories, teachings, and responsibilities for centuries.

"Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse; we were always been talking about stories and the relationships that we've had with these animals," Burnell said. "We have stories about animals, and so just having them here and being able to be so close to them."

As the bison settle in, the songs continue, an echo of something ancient finally returning.

"We're just like the buffalo. I'm glad they came back home," Wapahi said.

Wapahi is tasked with sharing the importance of that return home with the community, and praying over the land where these bison will live.

"I'm just honored to see a small return for them," he said. "It's kind of like speaking about your grandfather or your grandparents."

They're part of an extension of life, and in their footsteps, a story once broken begins again.

"I hope you guys all get the medicine and the healing that they bring with, and you'll learn from them. They're strong and they're resilient like we are," one man said.

The American Indian Center will steward the herd in partnership with Kane County Forest Preserves and an experienced herd manager, caring for the animals day-to-day as they acclimate and grow.

The plan is for the bison to be released into a larger fenced-in prairie in the spring, where they will help restore native grasslands and be part of educational programs that teach about land stewardship and prairie health.