The United States government commissioned Pueblo artist Pablita Velarde to create a series of more than 70 murals at the Bandelier National Monument. These works inform the public about Pueblo culture and tradition. In Buffalo Dance, Velarde represents
 a group of people engaged in an annual ritual, which adds excitement to the narrative the murals tell. She also paints scenes from daily life, such as figures making baskets and working in a silversmith’s shop. Viewed together, her vibrant paintings tell a
story and preserve Pueblo traditions for generations to come.