White Buffalo
Early next morning, two young men prepared to hunt. The brothers, Chayton (the falcon) and Tahatan (the hawk), were young men known for their hunting prowess and abilities. Their father bid them farewell and they set off to the hills with an intended goal to bring their tribe some food.
The next morning, the tribe was awakened by a bright white light over the horizon. The woman that Tahatan and his brother met the day prior appeared. In her arms was a wrapped bundled that she offered to the chief. The chief accepted the bundle from the holy woman giving her a slight bow of respect. The chief opened the bundle to find a pipe. The holy woman said “With this holy pipe that I give to you and your people, you and your people will walk in an honorable life as a living prayer. Value the land, value the moon and stars and value the buffalo,” she continued. “Value life, your children and families. Trust Mother Earth and Father Sky to bring you blessings. You are from Mother Earth and by living a life in peace and honor is as great as what warriors do.” As she began to turn away and leave, she glanced back. “I will return one day.” Turning away again, she rolled over four times and in a swirl, turned into a pure white buffalo calf, then disappeared. It has been said by the Hopi that this is when the Lakota began to honor their pipe of piece, honor their land and families, and prayed for the return of the holy woman.
It’s been nearly 150 years since this legend was born. In June of 1994 on a ranch in Janesville, Wisconsin, a white buffalo was born. Distinct from an albino buffalo, the white buffalo is seen as an omen of change. Since then, there have been nearly a dozen other white buffaloes born near Flagstaff close to the San Francisco peaks -- holy lands for the Hopi and Navajo Nations. Perhaps this signifies a change that will arise with Mother Earth.
White Buffalo Link near Flagstaff:
(c) 2013, Highervista.com, CowboyHaiku.com, RottonRonnie.com, Ron McFarland
There
is a legend around here by the
Hopi about the White Buffalo. As the Hopi recount, one summer around 150
years
ago the sacred council of the Lakota Sioux gathered near sacred fires.
In
an area that we now know as South Dakota, the late afternoon August sun
was strong and
beat down on the land and the people followed by a blood-red early
evening sunset when fires were lit. It had been a long hot summer of
drought
preceded by an exceptionally arid and unusually warm winter. The parched
land
yielded little food or game for the Lakota that year. The sacred council
sought guidance from the Great Spirit on their fate as a nation.
Early next morning, two young men prepared to hunt. The brothers, Chayton (the falcon) and Tahatan (the hawk), were young men known for their hunting prowess and abilities. Their father bid them farewell and they set off to the hills with an intended goal to bring their tribe some food.
Upon awakening the
following morning, the young brothers set out to find their prey. Over the rise of a
hill, the two young brothers met a stunningly beautiful woman. The woman seemed
to walk on a carpet of air about a foot and a half above the ground. Chayton,
the older of the two brothers, envisioned his desires for the stunningly
beautiful woman. He told Tahatan “You stay here. Wait.” Chayton walked slowly
towards the woman, reached out and touched her. Immediately he was consumed by
a white cloud. His desires led to his ill-fortune. The cloud dissipated and all
that remained of Chayton was a pile of ashy bones. Tahatan’s jaw dropped
and eyes widened as he looked at the pile – his brother. The woman set her gaze
upon Tahatan and said “Return to your people. Let them know that I am coming.” Tahatan turned and ran as fast as he could
back to his tribe.
The next morning, the tribe was awakened by a bright white light over the horizon. The woman that Tahatan and his brother met the day prior appeared. In her arms was a wrapped bundled that she offered to the chief. The chief accepted the bundle from the holy woman giving her a slight bow of respect. The chief opened the bundle to find a pipe. The holy woman said “With this holy pipe that I give to you and your people, you and your people will walk in an honorable life as a living prayer. Value the land, value the moon and stars and value the buffalo,” she continued. “Value life, your children and families. Trust Mother Earth and Father Sky to bring you blessings. You are from Mother Earth and by living a life in peace and honor is as great as what warriors do.” As she began to turn away and leave, she glanced back. “I will return one day.” Turning away again, she rolled over four times and in a swirl, turned into a pure white buffalo calf, then disappeared. It has been said by the Hopi that this is when the Lakota began to honor their pipe of piece, honor their land and families, and prayed for the return of the holy woman.
It’s been nearly 150 years since this legend was born. In June of 1994 on a ranch in Janesville, Wisconsin, a white buffalo was born. Distinct from an albino buffalo, the white buffalo is seen as an omen of change. Since then, there have been nearly a dozen other white buffaloes born near Flagstaff close to the San Francisco peaks -- holy lands for the Hopi and Navajo Nations. Perhaps this signifies a change that will arise with Mother Earth.
White Buffalo Link near Flagstaff:
(c) 2013, Highervista.com, CowboyHaiku.com, RottonRonnie.com, Ron McFarland
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