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Do you know me?
What is the SUBSTANCE & SHADOW of Buffalo from a
world point of view? The American Indian word for
Buffalo is Tatanka. The French originated the
word "Buffalo." Or a Buffaloe? Even a Buffalow? For
that matter, what is a Bison? The new people to the
Americas referred to the Buffalo as "boeuf"
(pronounced 'buff'), which means beef in French. And
that is how the new Americans saw the Bison, not the
sacred Buffalo.
The real buffalo's name was taken from its genus and
species grouping of the bison. It is commonly known
to Americans as the Plains Buffalo. By some it is
believed the American Buffalo originated in Asia by
crossing the great land bridge which existed between
Siberia and North America eons ago. The American
Indian Buffalo is and shall always be
sacred. It is a magnificent giant, standing six feet high
from the shoulder, 9 feet long and can weigh up to
2,000 pounds.
Painting by Robert Bateman
Listen to Message from Mahinto:
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History |
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Europe has a few protected buffaloes but they are
much smaller. The last wild buffalo in Europe was killed
during the 1920's in Lithuania and in the Caucasus
Mountains.
Again we find other buffaloes in the forest of India and
Burma, sometimes referred to as the Water Buffalo.
They are mostly regarded as cattle and are rare in the
 wild. They say the wild herds live near marshes and
swamps, grazing in the evenings and early mornings.
For cooling, they swim, roll in the mud and lay in the
grass. The African Cape Buffalo is found in the tropical
forest, also travels in herds that are found gathered
around watering holes in the dry periods of the African
savanna. In West Africa of the Congo basin, they are
commonly called the bush or the forest cow. They are
smaller in stature, travel in small groups and tend to
weigh about 450 pounds, standing about three feet tall
from the shoulders.
Again history dictates, the first Buffalo was traced back
13 million years to the Pliocene epoch, way before the
great ice age! Because this species is nomadic, it is
believed to have traveled to this continent in search of
food. Migrating first were the Bison latifrons and the
Bison taylori followed by the Bison occidentalis. The
latifrons were a long-horned animal that were believed
to have traveled far into the South to what is now
Mexico where it eventually became extinct. The taylori
did not survive extinction either, but the occidentalis
did. The Bison occidentalis is believed to be the direct
ancestor of the Plains and Wood Bison of North
America.
The American horned Buffalo of today has large-hooves
that split into two toes, belonging to the Bovidae
family. Again this Buffalo possesses a massive stature.
It has thin back legs. The hip area thickens
considerably up to the shoulder and head area. The
hump is formed by a gradual elongation of the dorsal
vertebra, beginning a short distance forward on the
hips, it reaches its maximum height just above the
shoulders and then drops almost straight down to the
neck. The head includes large horns which protrude
from the skull. Both sexes have horns which are
triangular in cross section and are covered by almost 2
inches of heavy skin. Spreading outward and upward,
approaching the tips, a bull's horns can measure 16 to
20 inches in length and are the main weapon of the
Buffalo.
Painting
by George Catlin
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Wasting nothing... |
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 A calf is born with little stubs approximately 1 inch in
length. In about 2 years, these horns will emerge from
the thick hair and begin to curve. Buffalo never shed
their horns and continue to grow in size each year.
Although the horns are hollow, they are purposely
smooth and sharp to provide effective protection. It is
possible for a Buffalo to lose its horns in a fierce battle,
however, those instances are very rare.
The Buffalo's tail is long and thin with tufts of fur at the
end. It is used by the animal as an expressive feature.
A busily twitching tail can indicate a mood of either
excitement or pleasure. When playing or nursing, a
calf's tail will wag with great pleasure.
During a stampede, the tail will be held high and switch
from side to side. The tail is also effectively used for
swatting away irritating insects. In addition to their
body language, the Buffalo communicates verbally,
whether grunting or bellowing to attain its desired
results.
Being a fur bearing animal, the Buffalo molts in winter to
summer. Its dense coat provides insulation from harsh
elements, but acts as a sort of armor for defense in
head-to-head combat. The hide is considered in prime
condition in November and early December. Many
hunters have killed millions of Buffalo for the beauty and
density of their winter hide. The fur is coarse and
grows about 2 inches in length over its body, thinning
on the rear legs. Around the head, neck and shoulder
area, it grows exceptionally long hair, up to 12 inches.
This forms a beard on the throat and chin and this
matted forelock appears as a cape about the shoulder
area. The density of the fur is greater near the head
than the hump. The fur around the face is especially
thick, like wool, and can be 4 to 5 inches deep between
the eyes. The body area is covered by a coat of
chocolate brown fur. A lighter shade of brown on top,
coats the front of the body, accentuating the hump
and forming the look of a pantaloon down the forelegs.
A darker brown, even black, fur grows over their short
neck; hence, the Buffalo beard. A cow's beard will
cease development when she is about 2 years old,
while the bull's beard will continue to enlarge and
thicken with age.
The most common color of the American buffalo is
brownish-black. The actual color of the coat varies
with age and geographical area. Variations are rare,
however, they do occur. The Buffalo is found in 4
colors: brown; black; yellow; and the rarest being the
albino white, or gray to cream. As rare as the white
albino was the black and tan pied (spotted) Buffalo.
Listen to BUFFALO: ª
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Mighty animal |
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The Buffalo's dense brown winter coats are shed in
clumps every spring. A robe of black hair replaces the
discarded coat and will remain until a new brown winter
coat begins to grow again in the fall. The Buffalo will
groom itself by rubbing against trees or rocks. They
are known to debark or totally destroy trees or buff the
roughest of boulders to smoothness. When a Buffalo
wants a body massage, a frenzy will erupt. They have
been known to take down telegraph poles.
Another habit the Buffalo performs, despite its age or
sex, is wallowing. This activity is done by
rolling on one side and then the other. A Buffalo can
not completely turn over because of its hump. Most of
these wallows are found in the summer months. It is
believed that this
is the method they use to fight against insect irritation
or to remain cool from the hot sun, or another way to
groom their fur. However, summer is also rutting
season, and wallowing increases with the bulls during
this time. Regardless of the season, whether the
ground is wet or dry, buffalo wallows have been known
to be from 8 to 15 feet across and as deep as 2 feet.
These wallows were often found dotting the plains
usually filled with sun flowers.
There are distinct differences between a Buffalo, cattle
or oxen. One difference is size: it is the largest
land animal in North America.
It has a larger body frame than cattle or oxen as well
as larger legs. Other distinctions would be its convex
forehead, the pronounced hump between the shoulders,
and the fact that the Buffalo has 14 ribs, unlike cattle
with 13. It can run at speeds
up to 35 mph, maintaining this speed up to a half hour.
Considering its large mass and cumbersome
appearances, the Buffalo is actually quite agile. It can
trot and cantor, climb any rocky slope and swim in the
deepest of rivers, supporting their bulk with a rolling
motion in the water. Its strong physical strength is not
without endurance. A charging Buffalo in a blind
fury, has momentum that has been described
as "Fantastic." Normally, it will be found plodding
along in a casual walk. It is interesting to note that
the
Buffalo does not use a rotary leg gallop like the Dog,
the Deer or the Elk. It utilizes a different leg placement
sequence for each of its four gaits.
Bounded together as thundering herds across the land,
the old people always said; you could feel the earth
shake!
A full grown bull stands about 6 feet at the shoulder
and is, on the average, 10 to 12 feet long from the tip
of its nose to the end of its tail (the tail alone
measures from 20 to 24 inches). The average weight
of the male is from 1,800 to 2,000 pounds. However,
history records some weighing as much as 2,400
pounds. Most of the Buffalo's weight is concentrated in
the forequarters, and the extremely muscled neck
supporting a low-hung head. The cow and the bull are
built alike, with the cow generally less massive. The
female has a thinner neck, a smaller hump and thinner
hair about the head and face area. She is more evenly
colored, stands approximately 5 feet in height and is
about 2 to 4 feet shorter than the male. A cow usually
weighs around 900 to 1,200 pounds and has slender
horns.
The Buffalo's complex digestive system is know as
ruminant. This means it is a cud chewing animal, along
with the cow, goat and sheep. Its stomach is divided
into 4 chambers. Using its 32 teeth, the Buffalo will
graze in the morning and the evening, digesting at
midday and at night. Preferring mostly range grasses,
as it is a vegetarian, it has been known to eat other
vegetation such as twigs, leaves, tree shoots and
berries. It is partial to grama grass, buffalo beard,
bunch and blue stem, pulling the grass, root and all,
never biting. A Buffalo likes tender stems and will not
graze on weeds. When it is grazing, it will swallow
large quantities after only slightly chewing. This is
stored in the rumen or paunch (1st chamber). When it
lies around resting or wallowing in a marsh, it begins to
digest its food more thoroughly. By this time, soaking
and churning of the food within the 1st chamber
(rumen) has taken place. The Buffalo will then
regurgitate massive globs, or cud, for re-chewing, only
to swallow it again. The food then passes from the 1st
chamber to the 2nd chamber (reticulum), to the 3rd
chamber (omasum) and finally to the 4th (abomasum).
It is in the abomasum that most of the digestion is
done.
Adaptability and flexibility are powers of the Buffalo. It
drinks water in enormous quantities when it can be
found. On the flip side, it can also go without water for
days.
The large nose of a Buffalo gives them keen sense of
smell. It can sniff out grass under a foot of snow, or
can use the wind to detect the smell of its enemies
long before they are close enough to do harm. This
well developed sense of smell will also lead the herd to
a bountiful water supply as far as 5 miles away.
Buffalo
trails were known to lead to watering holes. It is
known they drink about anything, including water unfit
for human consumption.
These huge herds once roamed East to West and
North to South, easily covering 2 miles on any given
day, always in search of grass and water.
The big black eyes and two small ears are located on
each side of its large head. The eye position makes it
difficult to see objects or movement directly in front of
it. It is also considered a near-sighted animal, not
seeing detail at great distances.
Let me tell you an old Indian story about the Buffalo
and the Magpie. A long, long time ago, a Magpie came
to speak to the powerful Buffalo.
"Oh mighty Buffalo, we know you have poor eyesight.
We also know your coat is invaded by parasites which
we can eat. If you allow us to harvest your coat, We
will always fly over head and warn you about coming
danger."
The Buffalo thought and thought. He believed this was
a good thing and so a deal was struck, and a contract
was created between the Magpie and the Buffalo which
has never been broken.
If you are around a Buffalo herd, you will always see
the magpie sitting on the Buffalo's back or flying
overhead warning the buffalo that danger may be near.
However buffalo is quite capable of detecting
movement as far as a mile away. If you listen to the
magpie's warning you will see the buffalo raise its big
head and look directly at whatever is approaching. The
magpie and the buffalo are trusted friends and have
never broken their word.
For defensive purposes, Buffalo uses their keen sense
of smell and sharp hearing. They can hear a distant
sounds as far as a mile away.
Buffalo's natural enemies are the Grizzly Bear and the
Wolf. Theses predators would hunt the old and the
sick, but neither was fast enough to catch a healthy
buffalo. As the American Indian lived in harmony with
the Buffalo, the white man did not understand. They
tried to conquer the Buffalo by killing them for sport,
and the money made from their hides caused them to
be hunted almost to extinction.
As late as 1850 it was believed the herds totaled
an estimated 75 to 100 MILLION in North America.
By
1900, it was estimated that there were less than 2,500
of this species. The records dating from the early
1500's estimated the American Buffalo covered one
third of the North American continent. It roamed
freely
through Canada, the United States and Mexico.
Robert Townsend, Narrative of a Journey Across the
Rocky Mountains, wrote in 1833-34, describing this
scene, encountered when buffalo's were crossing the
Platte Valley:
'Toward evening, on a rising hill, we were suddenly
quieted by a sight which seemed to astonish the oldest
among us. The whole plain as far as the eye could see
was covered by one enormous mass of Buffalo. Our
vision extended ten miles, and in the whole of this
great space, including about eight miles from the bluffs
to the river bank. It was truly a sight that would have
excited even the dullest mind to enthusiasm."
Another story, dated around 1870, places a vast herd
near the Arkansas River. It was estimated to be
comprised of at least 4 million animals. It was not
uncommon for a main herd to be 50 miles deep and 25
miles wide. There are reports of early settlers in
the
American West stating that it would take a herd of
running Buffalo days to pass through an area. What a
memory of long ago!
The History of the buffalo and its spiritual connection
to the Indian and the land is enormous. The buffalo
has endured on the North American continent for
approximately 25,000 years. They say it migrated from
Asia over the Bering Strait and continued its journey
into the interior of the North American continent. It
adapted favorably to the environment of the Great
Plains and reproduced in awesome numbers. During the
time span when the nations of the Great Plains reached
their zenith, seventy-five million buffalo were estimated
to have flourished, and the possibility of significantly
reducing their number was unthinkable.
For centuries American Indian co-existed with the
buffalo. This vision remained true until the turn of the
19th century. As the white settlers pushed westward
in burgeoning numbers, this majestic creature became
an object of constant exploitation. The impact was so
devastating that it resulted in the complete
disappearance of the buffalo east of the Mississippi
River, and its almost total depletion over much of the
western plains. The advent of the transcontinental
railroads accelerated the greedy and reckless slaughter
of hundreds of thousands of buffalo, killed largely for
their hides and tongues, their skinless carcasses left to
rot where they had fallen.
By the late 1800's, the great thundering herds were
already gone from the east and south, and were rapidly
approaching extinction in the west and north. It took
nearly a century for the United States Congress to take
action, finally passing legislation for the preservation of
the buffalo in 1894.
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Buffalo Give-Away |
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 To the American Indian, the buffalo was the
embodiment of the spirit of the giveaway. It
gave to the people everything needed for daily life,
both tangible and spiritual. It provided meat for
sustenance;
hides for clothing, foot covering, and shelter; and
bones and sinew.
The hunting, killing, and preparing of the buffalo were
carefully planned events, both sacred and social,
involving everyone in the camp according to their
talents and skills. Hunting was in the realm of men
while skin dressing was in the sphere of women. They
began with the head and worked down the body,
wasting nothing. The meat was prepared in several
ways. Some portions were eaten raw, some were
cooked, and others were dried as jerky, or made into
pemmican, a dried meat and fat concentrate. Hump
roast was considered a delicacy. The bull's scrotum
was crafted into a medicine rattle, while the heart was
left intact so that the spirit of the buffalo might
return.
The People found infinite uses for every part of the
buffalo and became highly skilled artisans in the
process. Skulls with horns were used in ceremonies and
were also placed near camp as a sign of respect to the
buffalo. Live coals, carried in horns called fire carriers,
were used to start campfires. Buffalo horns were also
used for utensils, cups, headdresses, and ceremonial
medicines.
The hair was used to stuff cradle boards, saddle pads,
and pillows. It was also used to create rope, horse
halters, paintbrushes, medicine balls, and headdresses.
The beards of the buffalo were used as ornaments on
clothing, weapons and in ceremonies. The tail was
made into whips, medicine switches, and decorations
for the exterior of lodges.
The bones were used to make needles, flesh scrapers,
awls, knife blades, whistles, and ornaments. Sinew,
which could be kept indefinitely, was worked into
sewing thread, cinches, and bowstrings, while the
hooves were used to make rattles, and boiled to
produce glue.
Even buffalo manure was used. These "buffalo chips",
having no unpleasant smell and staying dry on the
inside when wet on the outside, were an excellent fuel
source for cooking and heating. And it was well-known
that you could only tell the truth when standing on
a
pile of buffalo manure.
Prepared skins were categorized as either rawhide or
buckskin. Rawhide could be waterproofed and was
used for medicine bags, shields, rattles, drums,
drumsticks, saddles, cinches, ropes, belts, moccasin
soles, buckets, other types of containers, and weapon
cases. Buckskin was used for pliable items such as
moccasin tops, clothing, winter robes, bedding, cradles,
pipe bags, pouches, quivers, saddlebags, and tipi
covers.
As we approach our life, perhaps we need to apply
Buffalo's lesson of the giveaway. We two-legs
seem to
get caught up in the act of giving material possessions,
forgetting that the greatest gift is the gift of self.
Each have knowledge and talents we can share with
others, what may be useful to them in their life's
journey. When we jealously hold on to sacred
information, it dies with us. Why not share, and through
our giveaway, let these gifts live on in the minds and
hearts of those we have touched.
All American Indian tribes followed the buffalo. I speak
of the Kiowa Tribe and one of their legends pertaining
to the battle between the white race and the Buffalo.
When the white man came and built its railroads, farms
and cattle ranches, the Buffalo still protected the
Kiowa. It was known that the buffalo tore up the
railroad tracks, wrecked the gardens and chased the
cattle off the ranges.
Every one knew the white man and the Buffalo were at
war. The soldiers shot the Buffalo as fast as they
could, but the Buffalo kept coming and coming, the
soldiers were unable to hold them back. Many white
hunters were hired to kill the buffalo and clear the
plains.
It was sad to see the many buffalo carcasses rotting
and dying laying across the plains. The few buffalo that
were left gathered in counsel, knowing their days on
Mother Earth were numbered. The few that were left
walked into a high mountain cave and disappeared.
With the help of refugees as well as private owners,
the buffalo has decided to return and its numbers are
increasing. The Buffalo still roams Canada and the
United States. The current population is estimated to
be around 80,000. Each year about 10,000 still go to
slaughter for meat production. The Buffalo has fought a
long hard battle just to maintain its existence.
However, there is no record of any Buffalo considered
to have ever been tamed.
When I think about the symbolic meaning of Buffalo
power, it offers me a sacred life and many
opportunities. It taught me to honor the good and the
bad things that enter into my life. I appreciate the joy I
have received throughout my life experiences, often
times recognizing my life is created from my thoughts.
When you keep to the center of the red road, you are
following the sacred Buffalo trails, staying diligently
connected to the natural rhythm of Mother Earth. Be
kind and giving to yourselves as well as others.
Buffalo
teaches us to face our problems with courage.
Buffalo
offers our strongest efforts to attain whatever we
wish to accomplish in life. Buffalo says: question
yourself! Be kind and gentle with your life.
Give
patience to yourself as well as others and expect
growth within all accumulative knowledge that you
have collected in life. This way you will renew your
faith in Wakan Tanka. Always honor yourself and what
you are seeking. Embrace your life with gratitude and
share as the greens things do.
Another gift I have received by honoring the Buffalo is
through using the Buffalo Herb from Mother Earth's
garden. The Buffalo Herb's scientific name is
Medicago
sativa, and is also known as Purple Medic, Lucern
and Alfalfa. Native to Asia, it reached North
America between 1850 and 1860. It is a deep growing
plant;
the depth and spread of its roots enable it to absorb its
valuable nutrition as far as 125 feet below the earth's
surface. Buffalo Herb is a perennial, herbaceous plant
without stems. The leaves are three-toothed above
and the flowers below are violet. There is also a pod on
the Buffalo Herb that is spirally coiled and doesn't have
spines. The small violet-purple or bluish flowers bloom
from June until August.
The medicinal part of the plant is the leaf; it is used as
a tonic and nutrient. Helpful for every condition of the
body, whether for maintaining or regaining health, its
contents are balanced for complete absorption into the
body. The herb may be used by itself or blended with
other herbal teas with-or-between meals. Many
farmers found this herb improved the beauty of ostrich
feather, cows gave a richer milk and chickens laid more
often. A turkey farmer discovered that a better stock
was produced when he added it to their diet.
Buffalo Herb was originally discovered by the Arabic
people and call it the "Father of all Foods" most likely
for its nutritive properties that include organic minerals
of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium. It
also contains all the known vitamins including K, B-8
and P.
Some other associations connected to Buffalo Herb are
prosperity, anti-hunger and money. Keeping Buffalo
Herb in the home will protect it from poverty and
hunger. Burn alfalfa and scatter the ashes around the
property for this purpose. It is best to store the herb
in a small jar in the cupboard or pantry.
Buffalo Berry makes good soups, if brewed with fleshy
ribs and assorted bones fractured to render up their
marrow. The berries were typically service berries or
the sour, reddish or golden yellow fruits-early settlers
soon learned that the berries could be dried or made
into a jelly or jam. Encompassing about three genera
and some fifty species, the Buffalo Berry is a member of
the Oleaster family, the Elaegnaceae. The Silver
Buffalo Berry is a shaggy-barked, thorny shrub or small
tree up to 19 1/2 feet tall. Both surfaces of the leaves
are covered with microscopic, star-shaped scales that
reflect the light and account for the shrub's rusty,
silvery appearance. These scales undoubtedly help in
preventing water loss during the summer.
Within the Great Basin, Silver Buffalo Berry is common
along many streams, on moister hillsides and frequently
on valley bottoms where the soil is not to saline. The
berry is unusual among our berry-producing shrubs in
that male and female flowers are borne on separate
plants. Flowering occurs quite early in the season,
sometimes as early as the end of February, before the
leaves appear. Both female and male flowers are small,
yellowish, and lacking petals. The four sepals in the
male flowers subtend the eight stamens.
In the female flowers, the basal portion of the four
sepals form a cup which is fused with the lower part of
the pistil and this basal cup forms the fleshy part of the
fruit later on. The seed within is really nut-like and
develops from the pistil proper.
Another use of the Buffalo Berry is ice cream. This is
made by whipping the berries and cold water into a
froth; it is a very sweet treat, another way to bring
sweetness into your life.
As seeds grow in many ways; the most sacred gift was
our sacred pipe. It was White Buffalo Calf Woman who
brought it to the original people. In the beginning of
time, the original people had the ability to speak
directly to Wakan Tanka, Great Spirit. The people
relied upon Creator for everything, happily basking in his
loving arms, always keeping their faith and belief . This
pleased Creator.
Eons of time passed, but the newer generations
became lazy, forgetting their promise to the Great
Mystery. Through this lack of respect for Creator's
implicit instructions of how they were to conduct their
lives, they slowly lost their capabilities to speak directly
to Great Spirit.
The disgruntled ruling people continually quarreled as
greed and personal power became their way of life.
During this time major wars were fought to attain their
power over the masses, eventually separating the
eroding souls of the people. They no longer respected
Creator's wishes and slowly lost their spiritual unity of
family traditions. The wise ones knew without the
power of family values, life as they once knew would
soon be destroyed.
Battles continued for many generations dividing people
into small bands of nomads spreading across unknown
lands. The ever-changing harsh elements forced them
to endure great pain, the loss of loved ones, terror,
fear and hunger; a brutal lesson in survival skills
without the support of the Great Spirit. As a people,
they knew if they were to survive, they must depend
upon Mother Nature's gifts. The warm seasons brought
fruits, nuts and berries and some could be preserved,
but as the Cold North came, the people were forced to
kill their animal brothers and sisters, using their bodies
for food, clothing and shelter.
Time passed slowly for the wandering children as
Wakan Tanka watched them suffer from lack of
knowledge and their bad choices in life. From above
Great Spirit was pleased when a few of his children
remembered how to pray. The old ones saw this and
began to teach the traditional ways. When Wakan
Tanka saw the efforts of the few, Great Spirit sent
White Buffalo Calf Woman, with a sacred pipe to once
again communicate and guide the people back to their
spiritual blanket.
Since time is meaningless to those that live forever, we
must consider time within our solar and galactic
system. For instance, the planets have a different time
frame than Mother Earth. Mercury has eighty eight
days representing one year, and so on.
Since time, space and dimension hold many sub-planes
of different refinements of matter, we must consider
the twenty six thousand -eight hundred platonic year,
being measured by years of our time zone. Could it be
the stars that hold our truth?
The first people knew they were seeded by the stars.
It was the stars who told us when it is time for
ceremony, weather changes and how to live and
survive by their motion in the sky. They say our sacred
pipe comes from the stars.
Once, very long ago, two young men were out hunting,
when from out of the sky came a beautiful maiden
dressed in white buckskin carrying a magnificent pipe
bag. One of the hunters looked upon her recognizing
her sacredness and lowered his eyes as he dropped to
his knees in humility. The second hunter approached
her with arrogant lust in his eyes, demonstrating his
desire to take her as his woman.
The beautiful
maiden raised her hand four times to stop
his approach, only to find he dismissed her warning.
She then beckoned the lustful warrior to her, as a cloud
quickly covered them from view. Within seconds, White
Buffalo Calf Woman returned, and explained to the
second hunter, "Do not fear me. I have fulfilled all of
your friend's life desires. He now lives in the spirit world
in another time and space. Now go! Tell your people to
prepare a medicine tipi. I will arrive in your camp in four
days. I bring a sacred gift from the Great Spirit for the
people."
Second warrior listened carefully to her words, then
quickly returned to his village to inform the tribe what
had transpired. The people did as instructed, and on
the fourth day, they gathered in the great lodge, filled
with food and gifts to welcome their unknown visitor.
The men sat quietly together, the women sat with the
children, all in anticipation for the sacred maiden's
appearance.
When they saw her from the morning horizon, she was
most beautiful, wearing an exquisite white buckskin
dress, carrying a sacred bundle in her arms. Everyone
stood in reverence with bowed head singing as she
entered the lodge in a clockwise manner. She walked
around the tipi taking bits of food. First, she fed the
children, then the women and last she fed the men,
saying, " No man shall look directly upon me. If you do,
their will always be a blind spot in your eye for all
women. One man defied her wishes and glanced up.
From that moment on, a blind spot was created in all
men toward women.
She then walked to the Chief, her slim hands carefully
opening the sacred bundle. She took out a wooden
stem, a pipe bowl of which was sculpted from red stone
with a buffalo calf carved onto the pipe. As she joined
the stem to the bowl, she cradled it in her left hand,
and explained, "The stem was fashioned from a piece of
wood which represents all the green things growing
upon your Mother, the Earth. The red clay bowl
represents the Mother (nurturing) and Grandmother (old
wisdom) of the Earth. The buffalo calf represents the
two-legs, four-legs, the fin things and the green things
and all creatures upon this Earth. The twelve feathers
that hang on the pipe come from the spotted eagle,
golden eagle or the Sioux word, Wanbli Gleska, which all
means the same bird. Those twelve feathers hang from
the stem which symbolizes the highest flying bird on
Mother Earth, who takes our prayers to Wakan Tanka --
(God.)
White Buffalo Calf Woman taught the people how to
properly load the sacred pipe, again reminding
everyone that all the life forces must be placed and
honored within the pipe to remain sacred. She lit the
pipe, letting the smoke swirl high above her head,
showing everyone her prayers were being carried up to
Creator on the smoke. When she finished her prayer,
she instructed them how to clean and care for the pipe
before placing it back into its special bag, saying, "This
pipe is very sacred and powerful. When a person
becomes a carrier of the sacred pipe they must earn
the right to carry the pipe. No unworthy human should
ever be allowed to touch any sacred pipe. Creator
provided this sacred bundle for the red people. The pipe
has seven sacred rites.
The first sacred rite on the pipe is called the
Keeping and Releasing of the Soul. As you
prepare for life, you must also prepare for death.
The second rite is the Inipi, Sweat lodge.
Rite of purification. This rite heals, loves and keeps a
warm heart toward all our relations.
The third rite is the Hanblecheyapi, Lamenting for a
Vision. This gives us a sight into our future and
shows
us how to become a servant of Wakan Tanka.
The fourth rite is Wiwanyag, the Sun Dance, a yearly
ceremony during summer solstice prayers and sacrifice
flesh offerings are given for the people of the world.
The fifth rite is the Hunkapi, The making of
Relatives.
The sixth rite is Ishna Ta Awi Cha Lowan,
preparing a girl for womanhood.
The seventh rite is Tapa Wanka Yapa,
throwing the Ball
to address the universe.
"Creator will hear and honor those that follow these
sacred ways.
Before leaving, White Buffalo Calf Woman told the
people, there will be four ages of time, then assured
them she would look back upon the people in each age.
At the end of the four times, she promised to return
and restore harmony and spiritual  evolution upon
Mother Earth's troubled land.
As she departed, she walked a short distance then
stopped and looked back at the People, before she lay
down on the ground and rose as the black buffalo. She
walked further and repeated this action, rising as a
brown buffalo. A third time, walking a short distance,
she rose as a red buffalo. Again walking further, she lay
down, rolled on the ground and rose as a huge white
buffalo. Turning slowly, White buffalo honored the four
quarters of the universe and vanished over the horizon.
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White Buffalo |
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To this day, the American Indian await the birthing of
four white buffaloes, each signaling the fulfillment of
White Buffalo Calf Woman's prophecy: Harmony must
be established upon Mother Earth, abundance for the
People will become a reality if the people walk in honor,
respect and appreciate the beauty in all life.
These prophecy's are coming to pass. The first
recorded birth of a white buffalo calf was in 1890
shortly after the Wounded Knee massacre. This brought
tears to the elders, for there was not another recorded
birth of a white buffalo calf until 1994.
On August 20, 1994 in Jamesville, Wisconsin, a white
buffalo calf, Miracle, was born. Thousands flocked to
see her, many believing it to be the return of White
Buffalo Calf Woman. Miracle, a yellowish white at birth,
has since turned tan. Now we await for things to come.
In the summer of 1996, a snow-white buffalo calf was
born in Michigan, but died soon after. A few weeks
later, another white calf was born to the same herd.
Very few people made the journey to see this calf, who
was given the name of White Cloud. Shortly after his
first birthday, he was moved to the National Bison
Ranch Museum in Jamestown, North Dakota, and is, to
date, still snow-white.
Another white buffalo calf was born in July 1996 in
Cheyboygan, Michigan, known as White Magic. This calf
was also snow-white at birth and had a very small
audience visit upon his arrival. The Cheyboygan calf
brings the total number of live-births, pure white calves
up to three, leaving us to wonder how long until the
birth of the fourth calf, and when will White Buffalo Calf
Woman return.
According to my calculations, I saw around the time
that White Cloud was born a starburst in the shape of a
white buffalo calf in the sky. At that time, I wondered if
time, space and dimension was bringing another white
buffalo calf to Mother Earth soon?
We must ask ourselves, has the prophecy been fulfilled?
Are we living in the age when White Buffalo Calf Woman
will return to Mother Earth? Will this prophet bring the
pipe back to the People and restore harmony and
spiritual growth to a troubled and warring world?
As the ancient ones questioned, will we be prepared
and waiting in the great lodge for her return? Have we
honored the pipe and held it sacred within our hearts,
or are we like the lustful warrior? As a PEOPLE have we
dishonored the gift of the sacred pipe, sealing our own
fate to end our existence as nothing but a pile of bones
and ashes, a life force consumed in the pursuit of
greed, hate and superficial, material pleasure? Will the
people of the world be willing to make the transition
into an age of peace, where the pipe is sacred and all
life is still honored?
As we face yet another war upon Mother Earth, are we
prepared to face our unknown future? Will we continue
to honor or destroy life? Are we prepared to take our
individual walk as a sacred soul and a loving child of the
universe? Shall we as a people, see the beauty of life
and prepare our resolutions for a new perception of
who we are? The time has arrived to measure our
commitment to a spiritual connection to a way of life.
I am connected -- to all things, big and small -- infinite
to ephemeral -- from the beginning and beyond.
I dwell within a great universal web, interacting with all
things before me, as I swim in the sacred lake of life.
Many times in my life I have wondered of my own
importance, and where do I fit within the grand scheme
of the universe?
When I gaze upon the stars in the night sky, it gives
me a shining dot to connect, revealing secrets of
untold eons. As the moon moves along its path around
the earth, I am reminded of the beauty of this life.
Within the substance of my torrid passion I walk upon
the instinct of a progressive trail, spinning as an
elliptical shadow reminds me that I am not alone --
Many times I dream, about a time that was, when life
was simpler and all things existed as one. A time
before humankind separated itself from the goodness of
life, knowing no pretentious thoughts of existence were
greater than that of other life. Shall my brother Sister,
the buffalo, consider themselves greater or lesser than
I think of another life from long ago? Did I partake in
the nourishment that Sacred Buffalo's flesh provided?
Shall the oldest of trees view me as something less or
more, as I warm my frail body with its timber? And as I
reach again for the stars, will they gaze upon me with
scorn or adulation?
So many questions, for there are many more to come,
each new one offering another view, another piece to
place within the on-going puzzle of life, revealing
secrets of a universal web, connecting all questions...
all answer -- all things -- even me!
The darkness of the Inipi (Sweat Lodge) is enveloping,
as the illusion of reality blends into the abstract. Only
the red glow and the aromatic herbs of heated stones
shine like tiny stars in the night, or could it be
countless numbers of miniature campfires spreading
across the earth. My mind begins to slow, as mundane
thoughts begin to meld into the nothingness, where the
abstract becomes real -- Humbling is the heat as the
steam rises, crowning, then descending, filling the
darkness as voices begin to sing the ancient tones,
that only the hot stones remember... revealing the
secrets of time. So joyous are these silent eating
songs, as the souls of spirits and human dance
together, a universe of harmony. Divergent of time,
within this realm. A dimensional void, non-linear space
to explore. And yet, the ancient stones reward us
with their songs. Each one releasing its spirit into this
void, listening to human prayers -- dancing with human
souls. The songs conclude, as the light peers through
an opened door, the stone spirits traveling, upon clouds
of steam, towards the sky carrying the many prayers of
humankind.
Sitting in the present dim light, earthly smiles appear,
extending from a realm not here. So much love amidst
the seemingly fragile willows, bent in a criss and cross
manner to form a web shaped frame. Everything is
connected within this universe, where dark and light
live as one, human fire and stone embrace. Here,
where the water falls upon the earth, and is heated by
the fire to rise again in the air. There is so much to
embrace, when you accept the web of life that
connects everything to nothing, and nothing to
everything.
There is joy upon every face and in every heart,
nothing stands between human and Wakan Tanka,
(GOD). This is the reward, as the cleansing and healing
take place in an Inipi, (Sweat Lodge, purifying the mind,
body, and soul). But there is so much more, more than
just a sweat ceremony. There is the pipe, sacred, with
all of its seven rites, encompassed within one. It is in
this darkness we cry out for our dreams, suffering for
the prosperity of a people. Here, is where we become
one with the stones, as relatives and release our souls.
Here is the place where human speak with spirit. All of
which takes place within the womb of our Earth Mother,
Maka Ina.
Yes indeed, all things are connected when you
understand a true sweat is a rite on our pipe. So much
so, that we sometimes miss something as simple as a
sweat yet there are greater connections. Not so
simple after all, is buffalo? Within the grand scheme of
the universe, and all of its life, there is connection,
from the smallest microbe to the largest galaxy, the
web extends, touching all within the millions of
universes. Look far beyond yourself, and know that
you find true life with your senses, WE ARE
CONNECTED.
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from ShaTonga's Desk |
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I was taking my afternoon nap when the doorbell rang.
My ears perked up when I heard a very familiar voice. I
haven't heard Emily Blasco's voice in ten years. Oh,
what an exciting time to be together again and visit.
She was as delighted to see me as I was to see her.
We talked about when we first met. I was one year old
and she was seven. Emily has always been different.
She never feared me and I trusted her. At that moment
we became life long friends.
Over time we taught each other many games and
shared countless secrets. My favorite entertainment
was to grab her by the wrist and run her around our big
back yard sharing secrets. Another was chasing and
running after each other, but when she tried to outrun
me, I would grab her ankles and pull her to the ground,
then wrestle until exhaustion. Our much loved time was
resting under the big shade tree with my head in her
lap, all the while letting Emily scratch my ears.
So for old times sake, we ran and played the same as
we did in our childhood. We sat under the shade tree
and discussed the past ten years. I was happy that my
friend Emily was able to still view the world with an
innocence of purity. It felt good to know that she had
not lost this gift.
Since Emily wrote her first article for the Red Pathway
at seven years old, I asked her to write my buffalo
article and share her personal experience of raising a
baby buffalo. This is her story.
I was raised with animals from birth. Believe it or not, I
once had a buffalo. She arrived on Thanksgiving day. It
seems her mother had to be put down. My family
adopted her and I named her Lelah, which means
sacred, in the Sioux language.
It was neat having a buffalo for a friend. We became
attached from the very beginning of her arrival. I
remember the day Lela Tatanka Wi came into my life.
She was beautiful, strong, courageous, and had a
youthful looking face; a young buffalo standing before
me. With her playfulness, I could tell she was extremely
animated. She had so much life. You could see her soul
in her eyes.
Lelah would eat out of my hand, and play with me.
Each morning I would wake up and watch her from my
bedroom window. I thought she was an amazing
animal! But one day I noticed Deputy, my dog, and
Lelah had developed a friendship and had great
conversations, I could see it in their eyes. In time,
Deputy the dog would try to eye her down as if she
were a sheep. She would play his silly game and look
him right back in the eye as though they were talking.
When we rode our horses in the arena, Lelah, would run
by the horse's side keeping up with his every step.
I loved when it was time to feed her grains. In the
beginning she would slowly approach me, not sure if
she was able to trust me. In time we built a trust, I
generously would hold out my hand and yell her name.
She would immediately run to me to retrieve her treats,
always licking my hand with her sticky long and narrow
tongue. I grossed out, but at the same time, I knew
she was offering me love and affection. I would rub her
head and scratch her ears, thinking what an amazing,
precious wild animal she was; so loving and trusting to
a mere human.
I remember standing on the rail fence looking over the
pastures. She always seemed happy frolicking and
running. It seemed to me she always had a smile on her
face. I was a child then and thought all animals were
adorable, happy and precious; that nothing could ever
disturb them. They always seemed happy with their life.
Now, I question how did Lelah feel living with me. As a
child, I always loved her sparkling eyes, now I wonder if
it possibly could have been a tear. Was she really as
jovial as I thought? Was she fully happy or was she
merely content with her situation? For some reason I
always felt she wanted to be free or somewhere else.
As Lelah continued to grow in stature and thought, she
began charging through fence and gates becoming
uncontrollable. Could this have been a sign that she
wanted to return to the wild and her own kind? It
seems now that something was holding her back from
letting her soul be unbound. We always gave Lelah the
best but maybe what we thought was the best did not
satisfy her soul. She was not a domestic animal. Her
heart and soul wanted to be free and to be the wild
animal she was born to be.
We became worried for her safety because of the
traffic that goes by our ranch. Not to say we didn't
love, her we didn't want Lelah to run through the gate
and get hit by a car. Sadly, we found her a home up
North with a really nice family where she would be
protected.
I really miss Lelah, she was such a beautiful animal. I
will always remember her, but I am glad to know she
has a loving family and lives in a great place where she
can be safe and free again.
I have shared my buffalo stories with many of my
friends about the amazing creature Lelah, the Buffalo.
She gave me love and kindness as a child. It was Lelah
who taught me how to love and to be loved by a
boisterous, unruly beast of great size. She was my
beautiful friend and a wonderful companion. It was
Lelah who made a difference in my life and has left an
imprint on my mind and heart that can never be
erased. I hold a sacred gift given to me from Lelah.
She gave me a little piece of her heart when we were
children and as a child I gave her mine--
DO YOU KNOW ME?
Once in plentiful supply
I roamed the prairies, plains and high.
The Indian treasured my life,
ate my meat and used my hide.
Gladly I gave of my life
so the people had food to eat,
clothes to wear and lodges to heat.
The white man's greed in his pleasure
used me for his hunting leisure.
Leaving me where I lay,
not using the parts I gave away.
Now only do I roam
on animal preserves and people's homes.
Once wild and free I could roam,
now boxed and caged, I have no home.
But still my spirit is alive,
to give, and teach the children how to survive.
Do you know me?
I am Tatanka, The Buffalo.
ALL MY RELATIONS
Mahinto
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Wind Wolf Woman |
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"Wind Wolf Woman", an autobiographical
account, chronicles the life history of a
fourth-generation American Indian medicine woman who
learns
to balance on the razor's edge between two
cultures -
the Red world and the White world - with vastly
different belief systems. In this epic journey of her
search for identity and spirituality, she struggles
determinedly to find a place for herself in both cultures
while battling rejection. After traveling around the world
and learning from many spiritual teachers, she returns
full circle to her traditional Indian roots.
Born an illegitimate breed and deposited days later on
her father's doorstep she knew nothing of her birth
mother until later in life. Named Sunbeam by her
paternal grandmother and raised under her strong hand
of discipline, Sunbeam learns the sacredness of all life
and how it relates to the medicine ways.
In crafting her life story, Mahinto - lecturer, teacher,
and medicine woman - reveals the twentieth-century
plight of the Indian people, who until recently were
portrayed as a nomadic race riding free as the wind
over the land they called home. At the same time, she
offers promise that all cultures can, by honoring the
preciousness of life, walk together in harmony on our
sacred Mother Earth.
Order book "Wind Wolf Woman": ª
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