The White Buffalo Woman: An Indian Legend

The Lakota Indians in the United States of America have a prophecy that says that one day the white Buffalo Woman will return. She is a wakan , a wise and magical woman who will reunite all of Mother Earth’s children with her powers. Her return will also restore our balance with nature, a relationship that is broken today.

There is something truly miraculous about the legends of Native American tribes. No matter how old, no matter how many centuries have passed, or how little connection we have individually to these ethnic roots and cultures,  these traditions always leave us with lessons we can reflect on.

The legend of the white Buffalo Woman is over 2000 years old. This story is originally from the Lakota Nation, one of the cities on “Turtle Island”, which is the original name of North America. Therefore , this prophecy is an ode, a call to hope, and a desperate prayer for the Lakota Indians in their current political situation.

Over a year ago, we started hearing about the Dakota Access Pipeline. This project was intended to transport oil from North Dakota to Pakota, Illinois. This megastructure is over 1800 kilometers long and crosses several Native American territories. It is a cultural and environmental tragedy that started a war between the oil moguls and the Indians, supported by environmental groups such as Greenpeace.

After Barack Obama stopped the project at the end of his presidency, Donald Trump has reopened the project. The Indians continue the fight, hoping that the white Buffalo Woman will help them…

The white Buffalo Woman, a feminine and powerful figure

Joseph Chasing Horse spreads the word about this amazing legend. This UN ambassador for the Lakota Sioux country never misses an opportunity to tell about this prophecy, which unites many of the various Native American tribes in North America.

As the prophecy says, the white Buffalo Woman appeared over 2,000 years ago, during a period of great famine, war, and unrest between different tribes. Two young Lakota warriors rode away on their skinny horses, for something they could hunt and eat. Suddenly they saw the figure of a woman shrouded in warm light and shining fog.

The woman was accompanied by a white buffalo. She was tall, slender and dressed in sacred embroidery. She had a feather in her hair and carried sage in her hand. This woman was incredibly beautiful. So beautiful that one of the two soldiers approached the woman with desire in mind. But before he even got close to her, a large, dark cloud came over him. He was immediately paralyzed by a lightning strike.

The other warrior immediately fell to his knees in fear, for he thought the same fate would befall him. However, the beautiful woman gently pulled a hand through the warrior’s hair and spoke to him in his native tongue. She told him that she was a wakan , a holy woman who had come to offer her help.

A new era with old traditions

The Lakota tribe gave the woman a warm welcome. They prepared a tipi for her. As soon as she entered, the morning turned to dusk and all the lands afflicted with famine and misery were covered with an orange and pink light. Despite this, the people tried to offer her the best of what they had. They willingly gave up roots, insects, dried herbs and clean water.

After this, the white Buffalo woman taught the Lakota tribe how to smoke a pipe. She offered them tobacco made from red willow bark and encouraged them to go from tent to tent. This honored the sun, and created a circle of strength and gratitude. Later , she incorporated the tribe into a series of spiritual practices that they could use to honor nature,  pray with all the right words, and complete ancient rituals from their ancestors, which the tribe had more or less forgotten.

She invited them to sing with her to please Mother Earth. They sang melodies, verses, and incantation formulas that they offered for the four cardinal directions. She reminded them of the importance of maintaining and maintaining the peace pipe ceremony. In the ceremony, men and women came together to honor their souls, unity and their union.

The white Buffalo Woman said goodbye. She told the Lakota tribe that she would protect them as long as they followed these ceremonies and took care of the earth. Before she left, she pulled a large herd of black buffalo from the horizon. There were so many of them that the mountains turned black and the ground shook under their hooves. The world exploded with the sound of animals. They would finally assure the survival of the Indians.

A temporary dismissal

The holy woman left them with the words: “Toksha ake wacinyanktin ktelo”, or “I will see you again”. The Lakota Indians continue to repeat this message to this day. They dream that she will return to cleanse the world. They hope she will bring harmony, balance and spirituality to all nations.