The legend of The Buffalo Woman is one of the oldest and among the most sacred of all the Native American legends. Although the Sioux were a warrior tribe and believed, “Woman shall not walk before man,” The Buffalo Woman is a central figure in their primitive beliefs and holds a sacred position in Native American theology.
The Buffalo woman is said to be a white buffalo, but she first appeared among the Sioux as a woman; thus the name Buffalo Woman or The White Buffalo Woman. She came at a time when food was scarce and the people were hungry. She came to the people and taught them how to live with nature. She gave them the sacred Buffalo Calf Pipe and brought herds of buffalo to the fertile valleys for food and raiment. The buffalo gave their lives that the hungry people might live, and as the buffalo sacrificed she taught the people to appreciate. The sacred smoke of The Buffalo Calf Pipe carried their prayers, their pleas, and their words of appreciation to the Great Grandfather.
With the gift of the buffalo the people began to prosper. They were no longer hungry or cold. The large and thick buffalo hides made warm clothing, study moccasins, and provided heavy coverings for their tepees. The buffalo gave wealth and prosperity to North American’s Natives, and because of The Buffalo Woman’s teachings, the people appreciated the fragile balance of nature and the importance of each creature. Every living thing holds a special place in the Circle of Life or the eternal plan of the Great Grandfather, and is sacred. Because of the teachings of The Buffalo Woman, the people lived in balance with nature, and gratitude was a fundamental part of their daily lives.
The medicine man, Crow Dog, explained, “This holy woman brought the sacred buffalo calf pipe to the Sioux. … Before she came, people didn’t know how to live. They knew nothing. The Buffalo woman put her sacred mind into their minds.”
The Buffalo Woman dwelt with the Sioux for a time and as she left them, those who watched her retreating figure saw her image fade, and a lovely white buffalo calf appeared, then turned to look at them before bounding away. To this day a white buffalo is the most sacred of all the Native American talismans.
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