The birth of a rare white bison at Yellowstone National Park is drawing attention due to its connection to a Native American prophecy.
Montana photographer Erin Braaten captured photos of the white bison on June 4 while traveling through the park with her family. The sighting occurred in the Lamar Valley section of the national park, according to Fox Television Stations.
Braaten initially thought the white figure she saw was a coyote.
“There were bison crossing the river and the road, so we were stuck in traffic for a few minutes so I decided to look at the ‘coyote’ through my camera and discovered that it wasn’t a coyote but a white bison calf,” she told Fox.
“We were all in awe of this rare, unique little calf that had just been born. I was just trying to enjoy the moment,” she added. “I feel very blessed that we were able to see something so special and being able to share it with my family and later with others.”
What is the Lakota prophecy?
White bison hold significant spiritual meaning for some Native American tribes. According to a Lakota prophecy, the birth of a white bison signifies that good times are approaching, The Associated Press reported.
According to the National Park Service, the legend goes that the White Buffalo Calf Woman appeared during a time of famine and gifted the Lakota tribe a sacred pipe, teaching them seven sacred ways to pray. When she departed, she transformed into a white buffalo and the famine ended.
Today, the white bison symbolizes that the prayers of the tribe are being heard.
“And some day when the times are hard again, I shall return and stand upon the earth as a white buffalo calf, black nose, black eyes, black hooves,” Chief Arvol Looking Horse, the spiritual leader of the Lakota, Dakota and the Nakota Oyate, told The Associated Press.
Looking Horse emphasized that the birth of this calf is a call to action for greater protection of nature and wildlife.
“The birth of this calf is both a blessing and warning. We must do more,” Looking Horse added.
Looking Horse noted that a naming ceremony for the calf has been held.
“A ceremony celebrating the calf’s birth is set for June 26 at the Buffalo Field Campaign headquarters in West Yellowstone,” The Associated Press reported.
How can you see the white buffalo?
While white bison are not unheard of, they are typically born in ranch herds due to interbreeding with cattle, according to The Associated Press.
The birth of a white bison in the wild at Yellowstone is exceptionally rare and possibly a first, the article said.
Despite the widespread news of the sighting, no additional sightings have been reported since. Some speculate that the calf may have died while crossing the Lamar River or due to some other cause.
Regardless of the calf’s fate, its birth marks an important moment for the Lakota.
“The thing is, we all know that it was born and it’s like a miracle to us,” Looking Horse told The Associated Press.