The Sioux Valley Dakota Nation in Manitoba, Canada has recently welcomed an extremely rare white bison calf. The white buffalo has a very significant importance among the native tribes.
“The significance of the white buffalo is that … all of our teachings and our culture and our ceremonies were given through the white buffalo calf woman,” Sioux Valley Chief Vince Tacan told CBC. “We have a lot of people in the community that they follow the beliefs.”
The calf’s mom is also a white bison. Born at Winnipeg’s Assiniboine Park Zoo in 2009, the female was a gift to the Dakota Nation community, given the cultural significance of the white bison.
“That [the white buffalo] signals the start of our culture and our beliefs and our ceremonies,” the chief added. “It’s really important to us.” But the rare calf is eye-catching no just for the community but for visitors too. According to Tacan, people came, even from United Stated to see the white bison and to bring offerings to him. “It’s up to you [community members] to come to the buffalo and put out your offerings,” he said.
On the other hand, the tribe chief hopes the new generations will understand the significance of the white buffalo and give him the upmost respect. “The buffalo were important in the past, and we hope they’ll be important in the future coming up,” he said.
According to the wildlife officials there are only three white bisons in Manitoba, including the white calf and its mom. The other white buffalo is called Blizzard and it live at Assiniboine Park Zoo in Winnipeg.
h/t: cbcnews
Years ago, another white bison caught the people’s eyes in Goshen, Connecticut. Have a look: