PAINTINGS: “MASKS OF GOD … “ SERIES

“WHITE BUFFALO CALF WOMAN”

“In Lakota mythology, Wohpe is a goddess of peace, the daughter of Wi and the Moon, Hanhepi-wi.  She is the wife of the south wind.  When she visited the Earth, she gave the Lakota Indians (Sioux) a pipe as a symbol of peace.  Later, Wohpe became the White Buffalo Calf Woman.  The name Wohpe means meteor and she represents peace, harmony, meditation and the cycles of time.” *

For a description of her legend refer to these links: http://kstrom.net/isk/arvol/buffpipe.html & http:www.livingmyths.com/Native.htm

In this MCC painting, the White Buffalo Woman is holding high the Lakota Medicine Wheel (Sacred Hoop) that has a white buffalo skull attached to it.  The circle represents the sacred outer boundry of the Earth and the continuous pattern of on-going life and death.  The lines represent the sun and man’s sacred paths.  The crossing of the two lines indicates the center of the Earth and is behind the skull.  The colors associated with the directions are: East, Yellow; South, Red; West, Black; North, White.

The story of the White Buffalo Calf Woman tells of the time when She will return again to purify the world.  Some tell of four White Buffalo Being present here on the Earth at that time.  MCC has placed the White Buffalo Calf Woman as the fourth.

The Buffalo was the main source of life giving sustenance.  Female Buffalo move across the painted red background.  She (Buffalo cows also have horns) is shown with her interior body area open.  Within that space comes all that the Lakota need to survive.  At this early mythological time approximately 2000 years ago, the Lakota people were afoot on the central plains of North America in what is now North and South Dakota.

The White Buffalo Calf Woman is wearing her beaded buffalo hide robe.  Lakota women had few ways to express their artistic genius.  The design and technique grew as mother passed on to her daughter the skills.  A blue beaded area at the top of her robe allowed her to feel as though she was being born through water into the new day. 

 *Wikipedia 

“WHITE BUFFALO CALF WOMAN”

24"H x 20" W

Acrylic paints, inks, pastels, craypaux on Bristol Board

Photo by SkyLark Images