The Sacred White Animals of Prophecy

The Sacred White Animals that herald both a Blessing and a Warning

On August 20, 1994, on a ranch in Janesville, USA, a single pure white Buffalo calf was born into the world. They named her ‘Miracle’, for this animal was no ordinary Buffalo calf. Being that she was born white marked her as a creature of Lakota prophecy, with her birth heralding a time of purification and renewal for the children of Mother Earth.

The Buffalo calf was not an albino, but an animal exhibiting leucism; a form of albinism where the individual lacks melanin skin pigmentation, but has blue eyes instead of the familiar pink. Such a trait is relatively atypical among wild animals (although common and, in some cases, encouraged in domestic breeds). It presents a very real disadvantage to creatures in their natural habitat, limiting camouflage potential, ability to successfully stalk prey and to absorb both heat and required levels of UV rays. Thus, animals exhibiting either albinism (from Latin albus, meaning ‘white’) or leucism rarely survive to adulthood.

The Lakota, Dakota and Nakota clans are collectively referred to as the Sioux. The Sioux nation is one of warriors; a noble and proud People. The White Buffalo Calf Woman sits at the heart of the Sioux Nation and offers beauty and conviction to their legends. In keeping with belief, The White Buffalo Calf Woman presented the sacred Buffalo Calf Pipe to the Sioux People. She offered them the Pipe as a form of reconnection to Spirit.

Many believe that the white Buffalo Calf named Miracle and every other white Buffalo Calf born since (approximately 16 in total), collectively herald the re-uniting of humanity and the reawakening of Oneness: the state of mind, body and spirit that rejects solitude, fear and abandonment and re-establishes sacred connection to Spirit, the Earth Mother and ‘the People’. The white Buffalo symbolises hope and renewal, harmony among all people and a joining of all races of man so that we may walk together, united as ‘a People’.

Apart from the prophesized white Buffalos (which are among the most sacred animals a person could ever encounter), other rare and beautiful white animals have begun to appear the world over: Lions, Servals, Giraffes, Zebras and Gorillas; Robins, Foxes, Sparrows, Bats and Hedgehogs; Tigers, Elephants, Raccoon Dogs, Pythons, Cobras, Monkeys, Leopards and Peacocks; Kangaroos, Wallabies, Kookaburras, Koalas, Possums, Emus, Echidna and Kiwi; Ravens, Crows, Deer, Black Bear, Skunks, Moose, Squirrels, Pronghorns, Coyotes, Horned Owls, Hummingbirds, Rheas, Pumas, Rattlesnakes, Alligators and Lynx and Whales, Penguins, Fur Seals, Dolphins and Sea Turtles, with many appearing in the last four years, or directly before, during or after world events that call for peace and global unity.

According to Chief Arvol Looking Horse, traditional leader of the Lakota clan of the Sioux nation and 19th generation Keeper of the White Buffalo Calf Bundle, the appearance of these white animals heralds a time of great urgency for the Earth and humanity as a whole. It is said that the appearance of such unusually coloured animals is a sign; an omen calling for us to unite as a People and walk as One; to see past the colour of our neighbour’s skin or the ancestry of their people and to come together and embrace them as brothers, sisters and all-related children of the Earth Mother.

Despite the fact that animals exhibiting albinism or leucism are far more vulnerable than their naturally coloured kin, we are seeing an increase in these creatures developing into healthy adults … with many going unnoticed by man until fully mature and quite certain of unaided survival in the wild. It is said that the lesson behind the emergence of these rare white animals is one that must be acknowledged by every man, woman and child if we are to bring healing to the Earth Mother and humanity. We are being reminded to be ever mindful of our actions and reactions, to be more accepting of others, their beliefs, orientations and customs and to be more respectful of the animals and the Earth Mother her self.

Chief Arvol Looking Horse believes that we are now deep in a time of prophecy, when animals are choosing to be born as head-turning anomalies; white ambassadors of their species with messages that double as both blessings and warnings. He endorses the idea that the animals are being born white to attract our attention, as embodiments of a universal need for humanity to unite in the name of Peace so that our children and their children will be ensured a future on Mother Earth. He says 'all nations, all faiths’ must unite ‘in one prayer' no matter how we believe in the Creator Spirit, if we are to acknowledge and honour the birth of these sacred animals and heed their message.

Albino animals have been revered in most cultures for centuries; venerated as omens of good fortune, fertility, plentiful rain and bountiful harvest. Some even describe them as being imbued with supernatural or magical powers, usually charged with extraordinary strength, speed, shape and size. In medieval Europe, for example, it was believed that white Mice personified the souls of departed children, while the appearance of a white Elephant was said to have proclaimed the birth of Gautama Buddha. As a result, the white Elephant has become a sacred symbol of appreciation in Hindu tradition. The white Elephant (and Ganesha) are both said to offer deliverance from the obstacles created by the mundane aspects of life, aspects such as embarrassment and limiting circumstance. In Thailand, the people believe that white Elephants may very well contain the souls of people who have crossed over to the Spirit World.

White animals appear regularly in Welsh and Celtic mythology, too, as creatures of the Otherworld, often sporting red ears, eyes and snouts. In these stories, they were more often than not pursued by brave warriors and noblemen when they ventured into the ordinary world.

According to Chief Arvol Looking Horse, the appearance of the White Buffalo Calf and the plethora of other white animals come as both a good omen and a forewarning of powerful but necessary change. The animals have been trying to warn humanity for ages of the inevitable changes the Earth Mother has in store for us. We have witnessed countless mudslides, earthquakes, floods, droughts and strong winds over the centuries, but in recent years there have been an increased number of occurrences, with each event proving more devastating than the one prior. The people who survived the Asian tsunami, Boxing Day, 2004, for example, say the wave seemingly came out of nowhere. Thousands of people died that day … but not one single wild animal was lost. Why? Because many animals rely on atmospheric pressure to navigate their path and use infrasound (the ability to hear sounds and make noises of very low frequency that are inaudible to the human ear) in order to communicate with members of their herd or flock. They, unlike us, have never lost their ability to communicate directly with the Earth Mother, nor have they forgotten their inherent relationship with the forces of Nature or to trust what they feel intuitively and ‘know’ rather than what they physically see. The ancient cultures had it, but we, as ‘modern civilised beings’, have long forgotten ours.

I believe the arrival of the white animals (not to mention the birth of the sacred White Buffalo Calf), may be seen as a warning urging us to take the time to better understand and accept each other’s differences and to be less fearful of not being the most powerful force or the biggest and the best. They are trying to tell us that if we don’t stop calling in our worst fears by worrying about the ‘what ifs’ or believing all the ‘she said, he said’ half truths infiltrating our written and electronic media, relationships and minds; if we don’t stop criticizing and punishing our brothers and sisters because of petty differences generally created and maintained by fear and a desire for control and if we don’t stop blaming or judging our neighbors by their nationality, the colour of their skin, their beliefs and their customs instead of loving them for their differences and treating them as friends and equals, then we will soon be living in a time of great darkness. I believe the white animals are offering themselves as beacons of hope; spiritual yet tangible guides driven by one goal - to inspire us to follow and trust only in the light that is the heart of the Creator Spirit and life in chorus. A light guaranteed to lead us away from of the darkness into greater awareness, clarity and unified abundance as a People.

They are inviting us to partake in the sacred ‘hunt’ – a hunt for what this light might mean for each of us on a personal level; a thrilling adventure symbolic of the search for the sacred self or a quest for a deeper understanding of our very soul. In the stories of old, the soul was more often than not depicted as an elusive and magical white beast, while the hunt itself symbolically introduced us to our Sacred Self by leading us deep into a ‘dark, ominous forest’.

The white animals, I believe, are here to fulfil an ancient prophecy: to invite us to follow them into that forest now - into an unfamiliar place of deep healing and personal acceptance so that we might finally emerge the other side as rebirthed and reformed individuals; whole and healthy beings in an interrelated world. They are reminding us to reclaim our beauty, our soul-essence and our Personal Power; to find a place of trust and acceptance within ourselves, to know our Sacred Self and to systematically forever banish ourselves and the world itself of ‘evil’ in its unlimited guises. And when I say ‘us’, I mean everyone. I mean each and every one of us and I mean humanity as a whole.

- Scott Alexander King

Some beautiful stories that tell of the Sacred White Animals and what they mean to the people:

ALBINO SPIRIT ANIMALS

Most all every Native American tribe had some manner of "spirit" belief regarding albino animals. The Albino was protected by most Native American customs. Within the Northeastern Woodlands, Leni Lenape, Susquehannock, Iroquois (Six Nations) , etc. One primary principle: The Albino was not to be hunted or killed. This taboo carried various curses. According to Bear Two Arrows (Eastern Delaware), knowledgeable of owl medicine, the taboo and its various curses are known among more respectful contemporary hunters with or without Native American ancestry. He relates his own experience regarding an albino owl, and it's connection to owl spirit medicine. [Leni Lenape words for: white, Wapsu; owl, Gokhos.] If an albino squirrel were hunted and killed, the hunter would suffer loss of his hunting abilities. If an albino deer were killed (and without remorse) the hunter might later loose his life in a freak accident often involving his hunting or survival skills. The general belief in certain legends concerning various individual animals persists into the 20th century, many of which can be documented. Among all tribes, the Albino animal had spirit connections, one of the strongest among the Plains tribe was the White Buffalo, a definite omen of great wisdom. The symbolic significance behind white or the quality of "whiteness" was not associated with purity as in Western culture but also wisdom and ancient knowledge of greater conceptual and spiritual magnitude. Depending on the animal species involved and how it corresponds within the greater tribal cosmological context sometimes manifests the extent of the consequences when the taboo is broken. Belief in the "spirit nature" of albino animals and the ritual taboo of protection probably has its roots in the fact that an albino's ability to survive natural predators is greatly reduced by the lack of proper pigmentation for camouflage and keener vision to spot prey. These natural attributes render an albino "unfair" game for the Native hunter, or any hunter aware of the spiritual nature these animals might possess. Even the skin or hides of these animals must be treated with reverence. Following the customs of these legends regarding the hunting and trapping restrictions were not in as much out of fear for the taboo but more so with respect to the higher aspect of Nature and the Creator.

WHITE AND PIEBALD DEER

The Southern shoulder of Sugar Loaf Mountain, and the top of the valley East from MacGinnisburg and West to Lake Station Road, have been inhabited by mysterious albino and "Piebald" (mottled) White-Tailed Deer for as long as any residents can remember.

Native peoples in many American Cultures have consistently regarded the White Deer to be a spirit, typically that of an ancestor or benevolent soul transfigured from human form.

The Piebald is respected, by many Indian Cultures, as a spirit in the process of transforming to or from the spirit world. It is at this time of transformation that, as local Lenape believed, the spirit was at it's most vulnerable, and hence, would die with the mortal form if killed by a hunter. As such, the Lenape, like most Native cultures, revered the White and Piebald Deer, and the killing of either was strongly tabooed, lest the killer suffer an untimely death, himself, and his spirit be usurped by the white deer.

This belief was passed on through the beliefs of the European settlers of our valley, and amongst older families it still holds true, today.

Some see the preponderance of Piebald and White Deer, in the Sugar Loaf Valley to the West of Sugar Loaf Mountain, as a sign of high spiritual activity and the continuance of old lenape souls moving between the real and spirit worlds.

THE SENECAS TELL THIS WHITE DEER LEGEND

"The Indian legend of Mona-sha-sha lends an air of tragedy to the beautiful Glen with the famous waterfalls. The hunter, Joninedah, brought his wife and child to a temporary home when the hunting was good, but days of hunting brought no success. Mona-sha-sha tried to cheer him and fished and gathered berries while he was away. After a long hard day, he came home in despair that the evil eye was upon him. He failed to respond to the smiles of Mona-sha-sha. Feeling that he no longer loved her, she waited until he fell asleep, then strapping her babe upon her back, stole out into the night. Far above the (Middle) Falls she found her bark canoe, and slipping silently down the stream, was dashed over the waterfall.

Joninedah awoke to find her gone and hurried outside. Following her trail to the water's edge, he saw that the canoe was gone. A white doe and fawn darted by, and the grief-stricken brave said the spirit had spoke of the dead. Plunging his knife into his breast, he joined his wife and child in death."

The Lost Colony of Roanoke Island-Croatan Indian legend

"Long ago the first white child was born in America and her name was Virginia Dare. She was born on Roanoke Island, North Carolina. Some time before she was three years old, she and her parents and everybody in the settlement disappeared. What happened to them? Nobody knows, and they are called the "Lost Colony."

The legend of the White Deer explains what happened to Virginia Dare and why there was a big, big grape vine called the "Mother Vine" in North Carolina.

The legend says that the Lost Colony joined the Croatan Indians. When Virginia became a young woman, two Indians fell in love with her. Their names were Chico, an old Indian magician, and Okisko, and young man. Chico said, "I am too old and she will not marry me. But she will not marry Chico, either. I will make some magic."

So Chico got the magic spotted pearls out of some mussels, and he went to some magic water. He made a magic potion and he sang to all the spotted beads. He made a necklace. Chico asked Virginia, "Winono-ska, will you ride in my canoe to Roanoke Island?" Virginia Dare said yes, she would. Chico gave her the magic beads and when she put them on she changed into a white deer!

For a long time the people on Roanoke Island saw this white deer. The young Indian man Wanchese decided he would kill the white deer.

"Oh no!" said Chico. "I must save Winono-ska!" So he went to the spirit of the water, and the spirit told him how to make a magic arrow from a hammerhead shark's tooth and three mussel pearls. He fixed them on a wood stick shaft and wrapped a heron feather. Chico went to Roanoke, but Wanchese went too. They looked for the white deer. Both Indians shot arrows at the same time! Chico's arrow hit first, and the white deer changed into Virginia Dare. But Wanchese's arrow hit her just a second later, and killed her. Chico was very upset and he took his magic arrow and he stuck it in the magic water. From the wood grew a grape vine, and it became the great Mother Vine of North Carolina.

People say that you can still see the ghost of the white deer on Roanoke Island."

THE CHICKASAW WHITE DEER LEGEND

A brave, young warrior for the Chickasaw Nation fell in love with the daughter of a chief. The chief did not like the young man, who was called Blue Jay. So the chief invented a price for the bride that he was sure that Blue Jay could not pay.

"Bring me the hide of the White Deer." said the chief. The Chickasaws believed that animals that were all white were magical. "The price for my daughter is one white deer." Then the chief laughed. The chief knew that an all white deer, an albino, was very rare and would be very hard to find. White deerskin was the best material to use in a wedding dress, and the best white deer skin came from the albino deer.

Blue Jay went to his beloved, whose name was Bright Moon. "I will return with your bride price in one moon, and we will be married. This I promise you." Taking his best bow and his sharpest arrows Blue Jay began to hunt.

Three weeks went by, and Blue Jay was often hungry, lonely, and scratched by briars. Then, one night during a full moon, Blue Jay saw a white deer that seemed to drift through the moonlight. When the deer was very close to where Blue Jay hid, he shot his sharpest arrow. The arrow sank deep into the deer's heart. But instead of sinking to his knees to die, the deer began to run. And instead of running away, the deer began to run toward Blue Jay, his red eyes glowing, his horns sharp and menacing.

A month passed and Blue Jay did not return as he had promised Bright Moon. As the months dragged by, the tribe decided that he would never return.
But Bright Moon never took any other young man as a husband, for she had a secret. When the moon was shinning as brightly as her name, Bright Moon would often see the white deer in the smoke of the campfire, running, with an arrow in his heart. She lived hoping the deer would finally fall, and Blue Jay would return.

A POPULAR LEGEND THROUGHOUT THE OZARKS, UP INTO THE APPALACHIANS WAS THAT OF THE SNAWFUS

After sunset, especially along the White Oaks and Hemlocks just beneath the ridges, one might catch a glimpse of a Snawfus. The Snawfus is a White Deer with enormous antlers from which a bouquet of moss and flowers grows.

The Snawfus is an arboreal spirit-creature which leaps among the treetops at dusk, and sometimes seems to walk in human form, like a tall man with the head of a deer whose mossy antlers are bedecked by flowers. In the Smoky Mountains, the smoke is believed to be the breath of the Snawfus.

Indeed, at times the odd, vertical mists rising in front of Sugar Loaf Mountain obscure the entire bald head of the mountain from view, while the surrounding mountains appear as clear as on any sunny day, as if the mountain, itself, had somehow vanished.

This, earlier 'Loafers would say, is the breath of the Snawfus, cloaking the mountaintop with a thick cloud of his breath so that several might meet at the mountain's summit, undetected by human eyes, as they graze upon the firegrass at the summit, ensuring that the rocks are kept bare.

Special thanks (for offering these articles) must go to:

MIKE V. BENNETT
UNULA GAWOHILUDODI ATALVYI
Adjunct Professor & Teacher Supervision
College of Education-Departments of Teacher / Special Education
California State University Dominguez Hills
STORMOVERMTN@aol.com~(310)-832-1231
Storm_Over_Mountain@hotmail.com
Stormovermountain@mac.com