White Buffalo Legend

Legend says, long ago, two young warriors were hunting, when they came across a beautiful woman dressed in white buckskin. One of the warrior hunters instantly knew her as a Wakan (or sacred being). The other approached the woman with lust in his eyes and wanted to take her as his woman.

As the lustful Warrior approached her, a cloud of dust arose that covered them from view. When the dust cleared, White Buffalo Calf Woman appeared with what was left of the hunter; a pile of decaying bones.

White Buffalo Calf Woman approached the respectful Warrior and explained to him that she had granted the other Hunter's wish, allowing him, in those few moments, to live a lifetime, die and decay. She passed on a message to the Brave Warrior to bring back to his people; To prepare for her arrival and to teach them to pray.

The Hunter obeyed, and when White Buffalo Calf woman returned, she carried a bundle (The sacred pipe) and instructed them in the seven ways to pray. These prayers are through ceremonies that include the Sweat Lodge for purification; the Naming Ceremony for child naming; the Healing Ceremony to restore health to the body, mind and spirit; the adoption ceremony for making of relatives; the marriage ceremony for uniting male and female; the Vision Quest for communing with the Creator for direction and answers to one's life; and the Sun dance Ceremony to pray for the well-being of all the People.

When her teachings were through, she told the people that she would return for the sacred bundle that she had left with them. She said that within her were the four ages, and in each age, she would look back upon the people but return only after the fourth. She would restore Harmony, and Spirituality into a troubled world.

She walked a short distance, she looked back towards the people and sat down. When she arose she had become a black buffalo. Walking a little further, the buffalo laid down, this time arising as a yellow buffalo. The third time the buffalo walked a little further and this time arose as a red buffalo. Walking a little further it rolled on the ground and rose one last time as a white buffalo calf signaling the fulfillment of the White Buffalo Calf prophecy.

The bowl of the pipe she gave the Lakota was made of red stone, representing the Earth. A buffalo head was carved on the bowl, symbolizing all of the four-legged animals of the Earth. The stem was wood and represented all that grows on the Earth. Twelve eagle feathers hung from the place where the bowl joined the stem; this symbolized all the birds. The round stone was made out of the same red earth as the pipe and had seven circles on it representing the seven rites.

White Buffalo Woman Leaves
(c) 1977 Vera Louise Drysdale
When a Lakota smokes a sacred pipe, his or her voice is sent to Wakan Tanka - the Great Spirit. A central part of each sacred rite is smoking the sacred pipe.

A song first sung by the White Buffalo Calf Woman - and still sung today - begins:

With visible breath I am walking ...

The smoke from the pipe is the visible breath.

The changing of the four colors of the White Buffalo Calf Woman represents the four colors of man--white, yellow, red and black. These colors also represent the four directions, north, east, south and west. The sacred bundle that was left to the Lakota people is still with the People in a sacred place on the Cheyenne River Indian reservation in South Dakota. It is kept by a man known as the Keeper of the White Buffalo Calf Pipe, Arvol Looking Horse.

**The legend of the White Buffalo Calf Woman remains ever promising in this age of spiritual enlightenment and conscious awareness. In today's world of confusion and war many of us are looking for signs of peace.

"With the return of the White Buffalo it is a sign that prayers are being heard, that the sacred pipe is being honored, and that the promises of prophecy are being fulfilled. White Buffalo signals a time of abundance and plenty." (from Sams and Carson, Medicine cards)

Though harsh as the world we live in may be throughout recorded history there have been spiritual leaders teaching peace, hope and balance (synergy) amongst all life. This was taught by great teachers such as Jesus, Buddha, the Dali Lama's, and Native American leaders. Chief Crazy Horse, Chief Seattle, and Chief Red Cloud are a few of the visionary leaders who committed their lives to bring peace, and internal happiness to all who they touched. They were tangible signs of goodwill toward all men, women and children.
**Courtesy of Jim and Dena Riley



The White Buffalo Legend, it would appear, is coming to pass. On the Spirit Mountain Ranch in Arizona, a miracle occured. In 1997, the first White Buffalo was born. That buffalo, over the years at the ranch, was joined by 8 more. A total of 9 White Buffalo reside at the ranch!

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"Upon suffering beyond suffering: the Red Nation shall rise again and it shall be a blessing for a sick world. A world filled with broken promises, selfishness and separations. A world longing for light again. I see a time of Seven Generations when all the colors of mankind will gather under the Sacred Tree of Life and the whole Earth will become one circle again. In that day, there will be those among the Lakota who will carry knowledge and understanding of unity among all living things and the young white ones will come to those of my people and ask for this wisdom. I salute the light within your eyes where the whole Universe dwells. For when you are at that center within you and I am that place within me, we shall be one." - Chief Crazy Horse, Oglala Sioux (This statement was taken from Crazy Horse as he sat smoking the Sacred Pipe with Sitting Bull for the last time, four days before he was assassinated.)
*Note: This IS the Seventh Generation since those words were spoken


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