Native American Tribes in Montana Celebrate the Birth of a Rare and Sacred White Bison Calf
Native American tribes from Montana have gathered to celebrate the birth of a holy female white bison calf, a species of immense cultural value, in a rare and historic occasion. The Creator’s White Buffalo Maiden is the name given to the calf, which was born in June at the Bitterroot Valley Bison Ranch in Missoula. Only one in a million buffalo calves are born white, and many lose their white color as they mature.
While some perceive the White Buffalo Maiden as a representation of the nation’s conflicts, others see it as a demand for more female leadership in tribal affairs. The seven principal tribes of Montana conducted a celebration in Lolo on August 29 to celebrate her arrival.
According to the master of ceremonies at the ritual, Glenn Gopher, “the Creator sent this calf here because of all the evil that’s been done.” Because the nation sorely needs love and respect, he views her as proof that we should care and regard one another. The congregation prayed for world peace and harmony.
The scene, in Gopher’s opinion, was stunning and unlike anything he had ever seen. The Creator’s White Buffalo Maiden is the bison’s native name; the ranch’s owners have also given her the moniker Faith.
A Blackfeet Nation member named Jimmy St. Goddard wrote on Facebook that his people have been waiting for this unusual bison to arrive for 900 years. He said, “The Creator has been using the buffalo for 40,000 years to communicate spiritual teachings and prophecies to the native people.”
The birth of a female calf is a sign that more women should assume leadership positions, according to Blair Gopher, a tribal member of both the Blackfeet and the Ojibwe tribes. The Montana Historical Society asserts that the probability is closer to one in every five million, although the National Buffalo Association believes that only one in ten million births are white bison calves. The likelihood has climbed to about one in a million, though, as private ranches are increasingly deliberately breeding buffalo.
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