“White Buffalo Calf Woman: An Interpretation”
by Brigitte M. Botnick, Fauna Art Gallery
by Brigitte M. Botnick, Fauna Art Gallery
Over 2000 years ago the Lakota people were experiencing great famine & chaos; they had lost their hope and connection to each other.
One day two hunters were returning home when a beautiful maiden appeared, she was dressed in a white buckskin dress and glowed with a beauty neither of the hunters had seen before.
One of the hunters filled with lustful thoughts immediately announced his desire to couple with her, the second hunter was certain this woman was a sacred messenger, and scolded his companion.
To the second hunter’s amazement the maiden called the first hunter to her, as he stepped forward a great cloud of black dust enveloped them both, as the dust settled the Second hunter was horrified to see that his friend was now a pile of bones!
Full of fear the second hunter began to pray, the maiden spoke ‘those who only seek the attainment of physical desires without any thought of the spirit within, may feel immediate pleasure, but will die on the inside – those who looked beyond the physical and saw the divine spirit within would receive pleasures that include, yet extend far beyond the physical. “
She informed the hunter that she is the White Buffalo Calf woman, the Mother of the old ones – The teacher of truth and wisdom, and instructed him to return to the village and inform the people to make a Tipi of many skins as she would be returning in four days with a sacred gift for them
The people of the village gathered in the tipi as the White Buffalo Calf Woman entered she walked seven times in a clockwise direction around the great fire that burned in the center. She explained as she walked she was remembering and honouring the love energy of the Great Spirit – the energy that warms the heart of all living things
She declared she had come as a representive of her people to remind the children of the earth of their existence, to reignite the connection between them and the Great Spirit and to prepare them for the great changes to come.
She taught the people sacred ceremonies, songs and dances, instructing them how to be responsible caretakers of the land and to always remember that the children are the future of the people.
White Buffalo Calf Woman brought a gift – A sacred pipe which was to assist the people in remembering her teachings and wisdom, when not in use the pipe was to be carried at all times in the special pouch, it was to be filled with the purest tobacco and treated at all times with great respect.
She filled the pipe with tobacco and lit it to demonstrate a sacred ceremony which would reconnect the people to the heart of the Great Spirit while reharmonising their existence so that loneliness and despair would be banished forever. Seven times she drew breath and exhaled the sacred smoke, seven times she prayed and seven times she spoke of changes and sacred things.
The first smoke is a breath of gratitude to the Grandfather above all Grandfathers – the great spirit Wakan Tanka, for the life you have been given
The second smoke is for the Mother above all Mothers – The Mother Earth, give thanks to her for all she gives you and for all that you take.
The third is for all other living creatures which reside with us on earth
The fourth is for all the people that know reality yet carry spirit in their hearts – taken with the hope that one day all will walk as one
The fifth is taken as a way of honouring and asking the unseen spirits which walk with you to come forth and guide your desires to work with the Great Spirit.
The sixth is taken for the six people you would like to see blessed by spirit.
The seventh breath was to be taken in silence, as a way of honouring the Sacred Being from which every being first came.
The White Buffalo Calf Woman spoke of a great need for the people to walk together, she told them a time of great darkness and confusion would come, the fires in the hearts of many people would become just embers, and some would be completely extinguished.
She reminded them from these embers great fires can be raised, that when the darkness passes, the beautiful light of a new day will spread across the earth marking great new beginnings and sacred times, a time where all people of the earth, all colours will unite and walk as one, spirit will be reborn into the hearts of all. In this time animals will become plentiful and everyone will rejoice in balance and harmony with nature.
She told the people she would return to earth again – as a white buffalo calf – to symbolize a time of great change – a time of purification and renewal.
On 20th August 1994 a white buffalo calf was born on a ranch in the USA, they named her Miracle as being born white marked her as a creature of Lakota prophecy.
Since her birth there have been around 16 more white buffalo calf born
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