White Buffalo Full Moon: The 2024 June Strawberry Moon Birth, Explained
Quick Reference: The White Buffalo Full Moon
- What happened: on June 4, 2024, a white buffalo calf was born in Yellowstone, just before the June Strawberry Moon (June 21, 2024).
- The calf: named Wakan Gli (“Returns Sacred”) by Lakota tribes.
- Cultural significance: in Lakota tradition the white buffalo is the fulfillment of an 1,800-year-old prophecy of the White Buffalo Calf Woman.
- Rarity: roughly 1 in 10 million bison are born white.
- Connection to the moon: the calf’s birth coincided with the full moon and the summer solstice, dates of deep significance in many Indigenous traditions.
On June 4, 2024, just weeks before the June Strawberry Moon, a rare white buffalo calf was born in Yellowstone National Park. Lakota tribes named the calf Wakan Gli (“Returns Sacred”) and treated the birth as the fulfillment of an 1,800-year-old prophecy. The timing, the full moon and the summer solstice falling within the same week of the calf’s birth, made the event one of the most significant Indigenous spiritual moments of the year.
The White Buffalo Calf Woman Prophecy
The Lakota Sioux preserve a prophecy roughly 1,800 years old, attributed to a sacred figure called the White Buffalo Calf Woman. She appeared to the Lakota in a time of starvation and gave them the Sacred Pipe and seven sacred ceremonies. Before departing she promised to return at a time of great change, and her arrival would be announced by the birth of a white buffalo calf.
White buffalo are not albino animals; they are bison born with a recessive coat color trait. They are extraordinarily rare, roughly one in every ten million bison. Several have been born in the last 30 years; each has been treated by Lakota and other Plains tribes as a sign worth marking.
Why the Moon Timing Mattered
Wakan Gli’s birth fell two weeks before the June 2024 Strawberry Moon (June 21, 2024, at 9:08 p.m. ET) and the same week as the summer solstice. In many Indigenous traditions, the convergence of a major celestial event with a rare birth carries amplified meaning, the natural calendar lining up with the human one.
Lakota Chief Arvol Looking Horse, the 19th-generation keeper of the Sacred Pipe, conducted a naming ceremony for the calf at Yellowstone in late June 2024. Several thousand people attended.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the white buffalo calf still alive?
As of public reports, the calf has not been seen since shortly after its naming. Yellowstone bison roam freely, and white-colored animals are highly visible to predators. Tribal elders have framed the calf’s brief appearance as the prophecy’s message having been delivered.
How rare is a white buffalo?
Roughly 1 in 10 million bison are born with the white coat color. Albino bison are even rarer. Wakan Gli was not albino but carried a recessive trait.
What is the Strawberry Moon?
The Strawberry Moon is the traditional Algonquin name for the June full moon, marking the brief ripening season of wild strawberries in the Northeast and Great Lakes.
Are there other significant white buffalo births?
Yes. Miracle, born 1994 in Wisconsin, was the most famous in modern times. Several others have been born in Texas, the Dakotas, and on tribal lands since the early 2000s. Each has carried prophetic significance in Lakota and other Plains traditions.
This article was published by the Staff at FarmersAlmanac.com. Any questions? Contact us at questions@farmersalmananac.com.
- Farmers' Almanac Staff
- Farmers' Almanac Staff
- Farmers' Almanac Staff
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Thanks, loved this read. Fascinating info! I read something of value in my Farmers Almanac every day. Thanks again, Barbara
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