Hello all,

Got a chance to attend the naming ceremony for the white buffalo (bison) born on May 12, 2011. This is a significant event in the Native American society.

It only happens 1 of 10 million births. If you ask the Lakota this is the third such recorded birth.

The calf was named Wakinyah Pejuta Mahpiya - Lightning Medicine Cloud:

http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg215/scaled.php?server=215&filename=lightening2.jpg&res=medium

http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg850/scaled.php?server=850&filename=lightening1.jpg&res=medium

I was a great honor to attend the ceremony. Well worth the vacation day from work.

I am not an expert or even well versed in Native American ceremonies so please take this for what I understood.

Here is the tree we gave of gifts to the Elders. I heard what they had called it and promptly forgot tough. I left a traditional offering of tobacco (white man's not kinnikinick) wrapped in red cloth tied shut with four treads of white, red, yellow and black -

http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg10/scaled.php?server=10&filename=offeringtree.jpg&res=medium

Also brought a couple bails (from a friend, one for me and one for her) of hay for a gift to the calf. Also given the symbolic red covering and four color cords. Also, since I need to smile at everything(it's a Buddha and Pagan thing) I also included a bib for each saying "I love my Dad" and "I love my Mom" -

http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg204/scaled.php?server=204&filename=honorgifts.jpg&res=medium

Arby Little Soldier's Ranch was the gentleman blessed/gifted with the responsibility of Lightning -

http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg26/scaled.php?server=26&filename=arbylittlesoldier.jpg&res=mediumhttp://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg26/scaled.php?server=26&filename=arbylittlesoldier.jpg&res=medium

Here are the drummers. They serve this functions for many generations and is a skill held in high honor -

http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg844/scaled.php?server=844&filename=drummers2.jpg&res=medium

Had to get the Navy in :D Many of those there were veterans -

http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg42/scaled.php?server=42&filename=drummers1.jpg&res=medium

Gourd dancers performed several times during the day. Very enjoyable to watch -

http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg38/scaled.php?server=38&filename=gourddancers1.jpg&res=medium

http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg202/scaled.php?server=202&filename=gourddancers2.jpg&res=medium

Opening was a prayer. The lady here did a sign language translation -

http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg849/scaled.php?server=849&filename=prayers.jpg&res=medium

Was followed up by Color Guard done by Native American Warrior's Society of Texas and a flyover -

http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg263/scaled.php?server=263&filename=nativeamericanwarriorss.jpg&res=medium

http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg90/scaled.php?server=90&filename=flyover.jpg&res=medium

During the Direction Song and the Pipe Ceremony we were requested not to photograph.

Here is Arby and his brother blessing the corral where Lightning and his herd with stay -

http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg32/scaled.php?server=32&filename=blessing1.jpg&res=medium

The spear that was part of the blessing -

http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg143/scaled.php?server=143&filename=blessing2.jpg&res=medium

The rest of the ceremony was a lot of VIPs. You have never heard so many "were as" in you life to you get a lot of government reps reading proclamation after proclamation.

Some of the other activities were of course the vendors. Things like this always bring them out, especially those gutters ones. There were buffalo food available from several vendors. I guess nothing honors the calf like grilling up some of his relatives. The tacos were quite good. Ran out of money before getting down to the fry bread. Bummed as I keep hearing about it but haven't gotten a chance to try it.

There were a couple bummers. Couldn't where a kilt as they had requested nothing above the knee and long sleeves. Though it seems most of the people thought they were above respecting the requests. I was in jeans and a button up. Unfortunately this made me look like the model "pale face" ad there were several comments about "pale faces" by a guest speaker. Also got snubbed rather badly by a couple of people. I guess I could understand the dislike sometimes but most of the ceremony was about being one Nation, not Native, African, Oriental or white but just Americans.

Jim