White Buffalo Nocturne
A white buffalo or white bison is considered sacred or spiritually significant in several Native American religions; therefore such buffalo are often visited for prayer and other religious rituals. The coats of buffalo are almost always brown and their skin a dark brown or black, while white buffalo are extremely rare. The National Bison Association has estimated that they only occur in approximately one out of every 10 million births.
Native Americans see the birth of a white buffalo calf as a prophetic sign, similar to the weeping statues, bleeding icons, and crosses of light that are meaningful to some Christians. As Christians may view these signs as a renewal of God's ongoing relationship with humanity, so Native Americans view the white buffalo calf as the sign of life's sacred circle.
An early story about a white buffalo was documented by historian Josiah Gregg and travelers on the Santa Fe trail. In 1833 during the Leonid Meteor Shower (The Night the Stars Fell), a white bison was killed by the Cheyenne who scribed a peace and trade treaty on its skin.
