The people of Janesville, Wisconsin, have a new lucky charm. In August, Dave and Valerie Heider discovered a newborn white buffalo on their farm. "Here we go again," said Dave Heider after he found the calf. This is the third white calf born on the Heiders' farm.
On September 9, 50 American Indians gathered for a drum ceremony to honor the new male calf. They consider the Heiders' farm sacred ground. Male calves are thought to be less sacred than female calves.
White buffaloes are very rare. For every million buffalo births, only one is white. Thousands of people flocked to the Heiders' farm in 1994 to see Miracle, the first white buffalo born there. Miracle died in 2004.
According to many American Indian tribes, the white buffalo brings good fortune and peace. Floyd "Looks for Buffalo" Hand, a medicine man in the Oglala Sioux tribe, says the white buffalo's coat will eventually change color four times to represent the many races of people.