(Virtually every Native American tribe has the legend, but they all vary regarding the details.)

Nineteen generations ago, during a time of famine, two Lakota braves were outside their camp when they met a beautiful maiden carrying a bundle. As they approached the maiden, one of the braves had lustful thoughts about her. Subsequently, she and he were enveloped in a cloud which disappeared, but shortly after, left the foolish brave as a pile of worms and bones..

The second brave spoke with the maiden, who asked to be taken into the camp to speak with the chief. Her voice was as music. In the chief’s teepee she provided him with the bundle, the peace pipe which was inside the bundle, --and a prophecy. She told them of how to live and survive from the buffalo.

As she set forth the purpose of the peace pipe, she described it as the way in which the Lakota should pray, for in the smoke their prayers would ascend.

She described the different components of the pipe in clearly New—Age terms, referring to the red earthen bowl of the pipe as symbolic of “Mother and Grandmother Earth, which is Sacred;” the buffalo carving on the bowl was symbolic of all “the four leggeds” on mother earth; the wooden stem is symbolic of plants on mother earth; the twelve feathers symbolized “the wingeds” of the earth; and she stated, “all these peoples (four leggeds and wingeds) are joined to you who smoke the pipe (packed with dried buffalo chips). All send their voice to Wanka Tanka, the Great Spirit. When you pray with this pipe you pray for everything.” She told them how to survive and pray for the use of the buffalo. And most importantly how to take care of Mother Earth.

She left a prophecy which said that at the end of time there would be five years of increasing disasters and crises which would be followed by an era of peace. She said she would return one day to mark the beginning of the five years of trouble, and to bring healing to the earth. During this five years the Indians were to seek to come into peace, balance & harmony and unity with the other religions of the world, in spite of the great crisis.

After leaving the gifts and the prophecy she left the tribe, and as she turned to say farewell she changed into a white buffalo. She then walked 200 yards and rolled over and changed into a red buffalo, then rolled over and changed into a black buffalo, and then rolled over and changed into a yellow buffalo. (These colors symbolizes the different tribes of mankind, our race colors.) According to the prophecy, when the white buffalo was born she would go through the same color changes as did the white buffalo prophecies which brought the peace pipe message. The prophecy also stated that the white buffalo would be born to white people in the center of the United States, and the bull would have to give his life for her.

Miracle Moon and Rainbow Spirit were born near Belle Fourche, South Dakota, which is known as the Center of the Nation.

Miracle Moon has four colors when she sheds in the summer. She has a fall color of yellow. A winter color of white, and a mouse color underneath. She has red under her armpits and on her tummy when she sheds in the summer. She always has a bright white around her eyes and the darkest she ever gets is black color in winter underneath the white (where the sun doesn’t get to all year). Most all year she is a golden color and white depending on how the sun shines on her .

She seems to change every time you see her and is truly a triple miracle. Her life was also saved when she was born when a bull named Dream Maker threw her 15 feet in the air, while the rancher watched. He saved her from Dream Maker killing her.
Her mother came to us five months pregnant. Her father was unknown but Jim, the rancher, became her father protector and put his life on the line to save her life.

The ecumenical peace pipe she brought has been handed down for nineteen generations, and is perhaps the most sacred idol to the Native Americans. It is this legend from which all Tribes derive their understanding of the peace pipe.

Not only is the prophecy being fulfilled perfectly, but its ecumenical implications are being marked by the historic saga of the peace pipe and sacred bundle.

Information derived from the Inter Tribal Bison Cooperative. Written by Dena Riley.