‘Sacred Return’: Tribal ceremony honors birth of prophesied white buffalo calf

In a momentous gathering at Hebgen Lake, Montana, hundreds witnessed a profound ceremonial celebration marking the birth of a sacred white buffalo calf in Yellowstone National Park’s Lamar Valley. 

The arrival of this rare calf in early June 2024 represents more than just a statistical anomaly – it embodies the fulfillment of an ancient Native American prophecy that carries deep significance for indigenous peoples and environmental stewardship.

The Sacred Gathering and Ceremonial Significance

The north shore of Hebgen Lake transformed into a sacred space as approximately 500 people assembled for a ceremony that bridged ancient prophecies with contemporary environmental concerns. 

Chief Arvol Looking Horse, the distinguished spiritual and ceremonial leader of the Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota people and the 19th Generation Keeper of the Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe and Bundle, presided over the profound gathering.

In a powerful moment during the ceremony, Looking Horse unveiled a meticulously crafted buffalo hide bearing the image of the calf. 

The young buffalo was given the name Wakan Gli, which carries multiple sacred interpretations including “Sacred Return,” “Sacred Comes Home,” and “Comes Holy.” 

This naming ceremony took place at the headquarters of the Buffalo Field Campaign, marking a convergence of spiritual tradition and contemporary conservation efforts.

Representatives from multiple tribes, including the Shoshone-Bannock, Sioux, Northern Arapaho, and Colville tribes, shared their perspectives on the profound meaning of this rare birth. 

Their unified message emphasized that while the white buffalo’s appearance signals challenging times for Earth’s wellbeing, it simultaneously offers guidance for healing and restoration.

The Prophecy and Its Modern Significance

The story of the White Buffalo Calf Woman holds central importance in Native American spiritual traditions. Looking Horse shared the ancient narrative of a time when food sources were scarce and buffalo had nearly vanished. 

Near what is now known as Devil’s Tower, the White Buffalo Calf Woman appeared to two scouts during a desperate search for sustenance.

True to her promise, she returned the following day bearing the Sacred Red-stone Pipe and Bundle, teaching the people sacred practices for connecting with the creator and finding sustenance. 

As she departed, she underwent a transformation, taking on different buffalo colorations before finally becoming white. Her prophecy spoke of a future return in the form of a white buffalo calf bearing specific markings – black nose, black eyes, and black hooves.

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Environmental Message and Call to Action

The appearance of Wakan Gli carries profound implications for environmental stewardship. Darnell Sam, the Wenatchi Salmon Chief from the Colville Confederated Tribes, Washington, emphasized the spiritual awakening that occurs when people reconnect with ancestral lands. 

The ceremony included traditional songs that, according to Sam, facilitate communication between ancestral spirits and present-day guardians of the land.

Devin Old Man of the Northern River Reservation, Wyoming stressed the importance of reconnecting with natural wisdom: “We must observe and learn from the natural world around us, from the birds’ songs to the bees’ work. These wildlife interactions hold essential teachings for human society.”

Documentation and Preservation

The first photographs of the sacred calf were captured by Kalispell photographer Erin Braaten in early June, with additional documentation provided by Jordan Creech of the Buffalo Field Campaign. 

Cam Sholly, Superintendent of Yellowstone National Park, acknowledged the calf’s potential to become a wildlife celebrity similar to Grizzly 399 of Grand Teton National Park.

Historical Context and Rarity

According to the National Park Service (NPS) and tribal records, the last white buffalo with similar markings to survive infancy was born in Janesville, Wisconsin in 1994. 

Named Miracle, this birth marked the first such occurrence since 1933’s Big Medicine. The rarity of these births highlights their spiritual and biological significance.

Conservation and Unity

Mike Mease, campaign coordinator for the Buffalo Field Campaign, shared insights about bison behavior that mirror important lessons for human society. 

He described how American bison demonstrate remarkable cooperation during harsh winters, creating paths through deep snow that benefit not only their own herds but also deer, elk, and wolves.

Scientific Confirmation

The Yellowstone Center for Resources Bison Management Team has verified the calf’s birth through multiple credible sightings and photographic evidence. 

Current population estimates indicate approximately 4,550 bison in the park, split between the northern herd in Lamar Valley and the central herd in Hayden Valley.

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Yellowstone National Park statement about white bison calf

Confirmation

• At this time, Yellowstone National Park can confirm, based on multiple creditable sightings, that a white bison calf was born in Lamar Valley on June 4, 2024.
• Yellowstone’s Center for Resources Bison Management Team received numerous reports and photos of the calf taken on June 4 from park visitors, professional wildlife watchers, commercial guides and researchers.
• To date, park staff have been unable to locate the calf.
• To our knowledge, there have been no confirmed sightings by park visitors since June 4.
• Photos provided to park biologists indicate the calf is leucistic (black eyes and hooves with some pigmentation), rather than an albino animal.

Significance

• The birth of a white bison calf was a rare natural phenomenon that once occurred before the near extinction of bison in the late 19th century, when bison numbered in the tens of millions.
• The birth of a white bison calf may reflect the presence of a natural genetic legacy that was preserved in Yellowstone’s bison, which has revealed itself because of the successful recovery of a wild bison population of 3,000-6,000 animals.
• The birth of a white bison calf in the wild is a landmark event in the ecocultural recovery of bison by the National Park Service (NPS).
• The NPS has never reported a white calf being born within Yellowstone National Park.
• The birth of a white bison calf in the wild is believed to occur in 1 in 1 million births or even less frequently.
• The NPS acknowledges the cultural significance of a white bison calf for American Indians.

Bison Population

• The bison population fluctuates from 3,000 to 6,000 animals in two subpopulations, defined by where they gather for breeding. The northern herd breeds in the Lamar Valley and on the high plateaus around it. The central herd breeds in Hayden Valley.
• The NPS estimates the 2024 pre-calving bison population around 4,550. Calving occurs in a single pulse during late spring and early summer.
• The NPS will complete annual post-calving counts this August.
• Each spring, about 1 in 5 bison calves die shortly after birth due to natural hazards.

Read more about bison ecology and bison management in Yellowstone.