Happy 1st Birthday Wakan Gli!
- Aiyana Saint Gimbel
- Jun 20
- 4 min read
Updated: Jul 8
The Sacred Return: Why We Must Honor Wakan Gli
In the sacred threads of time, between the 1400s and 1800s, my Gimbel ancestors walked a path of protection. They stood as guardians for the Buffalo, shielding these magnificent beings from complete extinction alongside our Native American Iroquois Haudenosaunee relatives. They understood what so many had forgotten—that Buffalo carry the very breath of Spirit, the heartbeat of Mother Earth herself.
When people ask why my soul burns so fiercely for the Buffalo, why my heart calls out for their protection, I share this truth: It lives in my blood. It flows through my lineage. I am a carrier of Buffalo Medicine.
This wasn't knowledge I was taught—it was a knowing that pulsed deep within my being, a song my DNA had been singing long before I could hear its melody. When Ancestry and 23andMe revealed the sacred threads of my past in 2017, I dove deep into research, following the ancient trail my ancestors had walked. Realizing I wrote my own story into existence long before knowing with The Last of the Ancient Earth Keepers.
We are all living libraries, carrying the stories of our people within our very cells. These ancestral memories arrive through dreams that feel like prophecies, through songs that make our hearts weep with recognition, through a knowing that transcends explanation.
And then, in June 2024, the prophecy awakened. Wakan Gli—Sacred Return—was born in Yellowstone National Park. An all-white Buffalo, pure as fresh snow, carrying the promise of healing for our world. The ancient prophecies spoke of this moment, when the White Buffalo would return to signal a time of spiritual awakening and the restoration of sacred balance.
For my birthday this year, I felt called to honor this miraculous being. Instead of gifts for myself, I'm asking everyone to join me in supporting the Buffalo Field Campaign—because when we protect Wakan Gli and all Buffalo, we're protecting the sacred covenant between humanity and the natural world.
This is more than conservation. This is about honoring prophecy. This is about remembering who we are meant to be as caretakers of this Earth. This is about ensuring that the sacred songs carried in our DNA continue to be sung for the seven generations to come.
Will you join me in honoring Wakan Gli's Sacred Return?
Two things are important at this time:
A petition and a Gift
The Gift : For Wakan Gli's 1st birthday and my 61st birthday, both celebrated in the month of June, I'm asking for donations to Buffalo Field Campaign. I've chosen this nonprofit because their mission means a lot to me, and I hope you'll consider contributing as a way to celebrate with me. Every little bit will help me reach my goal. I've included information about Buffalo Field Campaign below.
BUFFALO FIELD CAMPAIGN IS WORKING TO STOP THE YELLOWSTONE BISON SLAUGHTER
My Ancestors in Pennsylvania, protected the Buffalos helping the Iroquois Nations. They helped save the Buffalos from slaughter and returned them to the Indigenous First People. They acquired two large pieces of land between two brothers who shared their land with their neighbors.
Today, 2025, Buffalo Field Campaign is the only group working both in the field and in the policy arenas to stop the harassment and slaughter of America's last wild buffalo. We also protect the natural habitat of wild free-roaming bison and other native wildlife and stand with First Nations to honor the sacredness of wild buffalo. Our primary goal is to create permanent year-round protection for bison, the ecosystem they depend on, and for the migratory needs of this long exploited and clearly endangered species.
Aiyana's birthday fundraiser for Buffalo Field Campaign WAKAN GLI
Or go directly to their site: I would love to see the support, but I understand the social implications of providing support to any cause that I care about. Stand UP! Please donate through the Birthday Link on Facebook: Or go directly here:
THE PETITION
The Issue
June 2024, The White Buffalo Calf Woman made a Sacred Return, as Told by the Lakota People. A White Buffalo was born in the wild of Yellowstone National Park, named "Wakan Gli" by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, Chief Arvol Looking Horse. Wakan Gli translates to "Sacred Return". *Edited from Lakota Tribe on 07/08/25 with humble respect and apologies, I was going by remembrance of the Lakota Storytellers.
The buffalo were once slaughtered to near extinction during the times of colonization. I learned that my ancestors, the Gimbel lineage, along with our Native American Iroquois Haudenosaunee relatives, dedicated their lives between the 1700s and 1800s to protect these magnificent creatures from extinction. They understood the intricate bond between humanity and nature, embodying the wisdom that we are now beginning to rediscover. Unfortunately, the stories and prophecies rooted in Native American History have often been overlooked, buried beneath centuries of tumultuous history.
The Yellowstone Birth of the White Buffalo is seen as a profound symbol of this cultural resurgence. Honoring the Lakota Prophecy of the Buffalo Calf Woman and the sacred birth of Wakan Gli calls for a national observance month, where we can collectively acknowledge and learn from these timeless teachings.Establishing June as Native American Wisdom Month would provide formal recognition and respect for the vast indigenous knowledge that has shaped our worldviews and ecosystems. This would be an opportunity for communities across the nation to engage in educational programs, storytelling, cultural exchanges, and events that celebrate the rich heritage of Native American tribes. Let us walk alongside our indigenous brothers and sisters, recognizing their profound contributions and celebrating the legacy of wisdom they offer to future generations. Sign this petition to urge our government to commemorate Native American Wisdom Month every June, in honor of the ongoing sacred return of Wakan Gli and the timeless teachings that continue to guide and inspire us today.
MITAKUYE OYASIN!
WE ARE ALL RELATED: Check out the Story that Unites it All Together!
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