The White Buffalo Calf Woman

Below is what the White Buffalo Calf Woman said as she presented the sacred pipe to the Sioux.

It is from Mother Earth Spirituality: Native American Paths to Healing Ourselves and Our World by Ed McGaa, Eagle Man. This can be found online, with his commentary from the book here: Buffalo Calf Woman. If this interests you, another section of his book is, The Peace Pipe Ceremony.

"The time is near she will be coming soon."

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This is a sacred gift
And must always be treated in a holy way.
In this bundle is a sacred pipe
Which no impure man or woman should ever see.

With this sacred pipe
You will send your voices to Wakan Tanka.
The Great Spirit, Creator of all.
Your Father and Grandfather.

With this sacred pipe
You will walk upon the Earth
Which is your Grandmother and Mother.
All your steps should be holy.

The bowl of the pipe is red stone
Which represents the earth.
A buffalo calf is carved in the stone facing the center
And symbolizes the four-legged creatures
Who live as brothers among you.
The stem is wood and represents all growing things.
Twelve feathers hang from where the stem fits the bowl
And are from the Spotted Eagle.
These represent all the winged brothers
Who live among you.

All these things are joined to you
Who will smoke the pipe and send voices to Wakan Tanka.
When you use this pipe to pray,
You will pray for and with every thing.
The sacred pipe binds you to all your relatives;
Your Grandfather and Father,
Your Grandmother and Mother.

The red stone represents the Mother Earth
On which you will live.
The Earth is red
And the two-leggeds who live upon it are also red.
Wakan Tanka has given you a red road-
A good and straight road to travel,
And you must remember that all people
Who stand on this earth are sacred.

From this day,
The sacred pipe will stand on the red earth,
And you will send your voices to Wakan Tanka.

There are seven circles on the stone
Which represent the seven rites
In which you will use the pipe.


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The Seven Original Sacred Rites:

1. The Keeping of the Soul
2. Inipi: The Sweat Lodge Ceremony or Rite of Purification
3. Hanblecheyapi: Vision Quest
4. Wiwanyag Wachipi: The Sun Dance Ceremony
5. Hunkapi: Making Relatives
6. Ishnata Awicalowan: Preparing a Girl for Womanhood
7. Tapa Wanka Yap: Throwing the Ball



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