Native American tribes across the country have different origin stories for the white bison. One is the story of the white buffalo calf woman, who shared guidelines for living and gifted a sacred pipe. The pipe, which is still used in Indigenous ceremonies today, allowed direct communication with the creator. The woman turned into a white buffalo calf when she departed, promising to return again in the same form.
A crowd gathered at the Sky Dancer Casino and Resort 5 miles west of Belcourt on a chilly fall morning to watch the first event of its kind take place – a white buffalo gifting ceremony. The Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa had 11 white bison until Oct. 16, 2024, when they gifted five white bison calves to neighboring tribes in North Dakota and Minnesota.
White bison hold deep significance for the Indigenous tribes of the Great Plains. They are also rare, occurring once in every 10 million bison.
The Tribe hopes it inspires unity and pride among Indigenous people.
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Kennedy DeLap is interning with North Dakota Living. She can be reached at kdelap@ndarec.com.
