While it might sound unpleasant, it was actually used as a fuel source by early settlers and Native Americans in the American West. Buffalo dung burns well, especially when dry, and was a valuable resource in a region where firewood was scarce.
Here's why the term became popular:
* Practical Necessity: Buffalo dung was a readily available fuel source, especially during the time when buffalo herds roamed the plains in vast numbers.
* Humor: The term itself is meant to be humorous, playing on the contrast between the unpleasantness of the material and its usefulness.
* Misconception: The term "buffalo chips" is often used humorously to refer to anything that is considered worthless or undesirable, even though buffalo dung was actually quite useful in its time.
Today, the term is mostly used in a jocular way, and the practice of using buffalo dung as fuel is largely a thing of the past.