The scarcity of white bison will make many people think that they are not real and only exist in legends, because most of us have never seen them.
According to the Orlando Sentinel, the proportion of albino bison is only about 1 in 10 million, so it’s no wonder these legendary animals have become one of the gods of Native American communities. Seeing a white bison in the wild is an exceptionally rare phenomenon, and traditionally white bison are viewed by many original inhabitants of the Americas as a symbol of benevolence and lucky.
This concept originates from a legend of the Lakota tribe 2,000 years ago (also known as the Sioux) about Pte Ska Win or Ptesanwi, the goddess depicted with an image of a young woman accompanying her. a white American bison. Not only the Lakota people, many other Native American communities also worship and worship the god Ptesanwi. This goddess is considered the embodiment of the power of nature, the messenger of the Heroic Ones, and the guardian deity that helps the Indian tribes overcome difficulties.
However, why was the white bison considered a symbol of goodness to Native Americans? The American Indian College Fund reports that the story of the great white bison spans many generations, and it dates back to the people of the Lakota tribe.
Legend has it that, before leaving the Lakota tribe to return to heaven, the god Ptesanwi reminded that whenever a white bison was born, it was a harbinger of the goddess’s coming again, bringing harmony and peace. blessings to earth. After that, the god Ptesanwi walked four times around his tent, then turned into a white cow and disappeared into the clouds. Just as the goddess left, a huge herd of bison suddenly appeared around the village of the Lakota tribe.
According to legend, from time immemorial, the Lakota people participated in a traditional ceremony of the seven fires of the sacred assembly. However, in the summer, a sudden drought caused the land to dry up and the tribes found it more difficult than ever to find food. Then, two young men of the tribe volunteered to go into the wilds of South Dakota to hunt. While they were searching, they saw a figure in the distance. As they approached, the person appeared to be a beautiful woman.
The woman then advised them to “return to the people of the tribe” and wait for her arrival, although no one knew where she really came from or what these words meant. However, she then appeared before the people of the Lakota tribe who were in danger of starving and presented them with a sacred pipe.
She taught them about the mysteries of the world, the connection between all things living and dead, and about the clear truth of life. Legend has it that the woman then fell to the ground and rolled over and over four times before turning into a white bison and disappearing forever.
A herd of bison also suddenly appeared after her disappearance, and the Lakota people were saved by the meat of this herd. Since then, they have regarded the great white bison as sacred, bringing salvation and promise, as the American Indian College Fund says.
In June 2022, KKTV reported that a white bison had been born in the Chippewa Indian area of North Dakota. “I didn’t believe it,” said tribe leader Jamie Azure. “I said I would believe it when I saw it because last year we heard about a white bison being born, but no one has yet confirmed it.”
Ten years ago, on April 30, 2012, the carcass of a white bison born on a Lakota Indian ranch in North Texas was discovered, however it was killed and skinned by someone. “Someone might have known we were out of town so they killed and skinned it,” the ranch owner Arby Little Soldier told reporters after discovering the newborn white bison’s carcass. The Indian community in the area has offered a $45,000 reward to anyone who can assist in the search for the man who killed the white bison.
On August 20, 1994, a white bison named Miracle was born on a farm in Janesville, Wisconsin. It is thought that this is the first white bison born since 1933. It should be noted that Miracle is a very rare white bison and cannot be confused with an albino bison.
For the American Indians, the birth of the Miracle was considered a miracle that brought hope and peace to all nations and people. To this day, the last known white bison, named Baby, was born on July 4, 2012 in Avon, Minnesota, but sadly died two weeks later.
Source: Animalia; Unbelievable, ZME