White Buffalo Calf Woman Called the Mother of Life, Swelling Mountain Calling Comes to Bring the Story

White Buffalo Calf Woman

White Buffalo Calf Woman's legend is ancient, arising about 2000 years ago, and is central to the spiritual practices of numerous Native American nations. Various, but similar, versions of the legend of White Buffalo Calf Woman are told. 

The brief story presented here is based primarily on the story of White Buffalo Calf Woman at various websites as told by Joseph Chasing Horse, Traditional Leader of the Lakota Nation.

“It was told that next time there is chaos and disparity, she would return again. She said she would return as a White Buffalo Calf. Some believe she already has.”

Words of Chief Arvol Looking Horse,
19th Generation Keeper of the
Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe
of the Lakota Nation

While two warriors were out hunting buffalo, a white buffalo calf appeared. As she approached them she changed into a beautiful young woman . . . which is how she came to be called the White Buffalo Calf Woman.

One of the young warriors offended her with his lustful thoughts, and White Buffalo Calf Woman asked him to approach. As he stepped forward, a black cloud descended over him and when it dissipated all that was left of him was his bones.

The other warrior fell to his knees and began to pray. The White Buffalo Calf Woman told him to return to his people, telling them she would appear to them in four days, bringing with her a sacred bundle.

And this she did, appearing to them as a white buffalo calf descending on a cloud. Stepping down, she rolled over on the ground, changing from white to black, then yellow, then red.


When White Buffalo Calf Woman arose she was once again the beautiful woman, cradling the sacred bundle in her arms.

Spending four days with the people, White Buffalo Calf Woman taught them sacred songs, dances, and ceremonies as well as the traditional ways.


White Buffalo Calf Woman instructed them to be responsible caretakers of the land and to be always mindful that the children are the future of the people.

On the fourth day White Buffalo Calf Woman left in the same manner she had arrived, telling the people she was leaving the sacred bundle, the White Buffalo Calf Woman pipe, in their care. She promised to one day return for it and to bring harmony and spiritual balance to the world.

White Buffalo Calf Woman prophesied that the birth of a white buffalo calf would be a sign that it was near the time of her return.

Mother of Life

A beautiful, and different, telling of the story of the White Buffalo Calf Woman is provided by Matthew Richter in American Comments, a web magazine fighting racial hatred and discrimination.  This version tells the story of how a woman called the Mother of Life came to become the White Buffalo Calf Woman and discusses the meaning of the pipe and the prophesy.


According to this legend a young woman, during an enemy attack on her village, saw a toddler injured and ran to cradle him in her arms and comfort him as death approached. Soon, she too was mortally wounded, and her young body crumpled with the young child still cradled in her arms.


Her spirit hurried to catch up with the child's so that she would be there to care for him when they crossed over.  To honor her noble act, the Sioux gave her the name Mother of Life.

Later she appeared as White Buffalo Calf Woman to a young warrior whose troubled heart yearned for a good future for the children, a future without the prospect of continual war and divisiveness, a future of peace.  White Buffalo Calf Woman advised him "to seek the vision of a mother's heart for the love of her children".


White Buffalo Calf Woman gave the pipe into his care, detailing the ways in which the people could learn to grow into responsible keepers of the pipe, cultivating peace and understanding.


One of her gifts was the suggestion that all children be taught to hold baby animals with love and caring, so that as they grow they will learn to love all the other babies of the world.


As she gave her instructions, the white buffalo calf that accompanied the woman rolled over four times, each time changing colors . . . once for each race, first white, then yellow, then red, the black, signifying that we are all members of the same family.

White Buffalo Calf Woman Sings the Heart of Debra Swelling Mountain, the Song of All Songs

Debra, the Door who walks away (as the Golden One who must fly away to search for a new land, another world or perish), to find the opening come back again (Finds a new land, a new world).  And in the circle of life begins the song that rumbles and the song that begins.  She is the fountain that springs forth, to purge and begin towards the north, and here the darkness merges with the light, and we are one family we don't have to think twice (Holiness, Sacredness, the return of the Eagle).  Once upon a mountain, once upon the hill, a middle of the tongue goes to and fro and when we see the mountain still and with a hand, we think of the silence that goes round and round (go one way, evolution) (two hands in prayer together, the song).

Now when we put together, that once was before, the song of the mountain, the song of the doors, she calls within to seek her, the calf who knows the way, because it's the fountain, that purges the sin away.  And when the flowing river swells deep within the song, she lifts the mountain higher when all is in song.  And she calls the White Calf Woman and she says, "I love you, where have you been, I have been waiting, for some time with this view."  There inside the mountain, there inside the view, the darkness speak volumes the darkness knows you, and when the light greets her, she says "how do you do", because she knows you, she knows the sacred view.

Go and tell the mountain, go and tell the sun.  go and tell the many who are coming on home.  And when White Calf Woman, comes to sing her lovely song, then all the people will come home, and all will sing a song.  Her name is the Swelling Mountain, her view is the Song, and we call her the "village of those who get along" (she brings brotherhood).  And we of the people know that the song is true, because the Swelling Mountain, has come home with a view.  Come sing upon the mountain, come sing upon the views, and when the song is over, we will sing a new song.  And when we are done singing, we start the dance anew, because White Calf Woman is here to lead us home!

My beloved, my song is for you! Speaks white buffalo calf woman, Sings the heart of a view "Debra", the "Swelling Mountain Calling" (heavenly name), the Song of all Songs (earthly tools)! Her Rainbow Colors of her four sacred directions are Golden, Green, Golden and Gray.

Sunday, October 11, 2009

The Song of the Heart Debra Sings, How the House of Daniel Teaches Brotherhood!

The days are long and night are short and I have most of all my morts (the sound of many who come home to sea with a vision of the hearts that sting, the living bee with an impossible dream, flies and flies to find the leaves, our relatives in the dark space of heaven's glow, where we die and are reborn and 'Taught by God' ), and I have one thing I need to do, is go along and swim with you.  Where does the mountains go and where does the flowing know?  And I have one thing for your song, a piece of love that gets along.

Take me by the hand today, and I will show you a better way and we will climb above the seas, and we will find a liberty!  My heart knows you.  My heart has a view and my door is opened for all to view.  And when I see the way to God, then I hope you will find my heart.

Keep smiling the sun does shine.  Keep longing for the sublime.  And I will find you in a day, to bring you home so you can play.  Go out and find a friend.  Go out for a swim and when you reach upon the shore, there I will be waiting more.

You are here to hold my hand.  You are here to understand and when we walk inside the ark (ark of the covenant, where the dream arises from within), then we will hold the mighty land.  The land of promise, the land of views, the land of G_ah_d (voice of heaven transmits), who always knew.  And I will be there to hold your hand, because I really understand.

Take the Angels home with me.  Take the views upon the seas.  And I will swim inside your heart because you are the perfect part.  The star of Angels they do shine.  The star of wisdom and sublime, and we can be the place we need, when we bring brotherhood back to me!

Go and swim and go and be.  Go and see the way of leaves (relatives view the breeze in the house of winds) and we will come home yesterday to find tomorrow and learn to play.  Learn to play.

I say to you, come hold my hand, I say to you let us understand.  And heaven will bring us home again, when we believe in all the leaves (relatives on the tree of life, Oneness).  All the leaves upon the stream (river of life, flowing and knowing), there is madness come home to me.  And tree of life I do believe, for we are part of this sacred tree!

White Buffalo Calf Woman Sings the Heart Song of Debra, the House of Daniel who Teaches Brotherhood! Debra the Song she sings brings me back to sea, the heart of longing within the seas, and my heart whispers to you and me where butterflies are where the Song believes.

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