The length of each strand winds its way around the form of the buffalo – signifying the path of life for Native American people. The buffalo was their life line as they followed herds across the plains and used every fiber of the buffalo for survival.
Mata was born and raised in the Black Hills, spending countless hours enjoying, learning about, and admiring the wildlife and wild flowers of the Hills. Her family history goes back to the 1880s; her great grandparents built the first Sylvan Lake Dam and the original Sylvan Lake Hotel located on the shore of the lake near the dam.
The buffalo has always held a fascination for Mata and is now her life line. Mata designs postcards, caps, magnets, mugs, and souvenir books for the Black Hills area. Her company, Sylvan Originals, is so named because of her love for the Sylvan Lake area of Custer State Park.
