F.Y.I.~~Albino Spirit animals

Albino Spirit animals
by Gerald Musinsky
Most all every Native American tribe had some manner of "spirit" belief
regarding albino animals. The Albino was protected by most Native
American customs. Within the Northeastern Woodlands, Leni Lenape,
Susquehannock, Iroquois (Six Nations) etc. One primary principle: The
Albino was not to be hunted or killed. This taboo carried various
curses.

According to Bear Two Arrows (Eastern Delaware), knowledgeable of owl
medicine, the taboo and its various curses are known among more
respectful contemporary hunters with or without Native American
ancestry. He relates his own experience regarding an albino owl, and
it's connection to owl spirit medicine. [Leni Lenape words for: white,
Wapsu; owl, Gokhos.] If an albino squirrel were hunted and killed, the
hunter would suffer loss of his hunting abilities. If an albino deer
were killed (and without remorse) the hunter might later loose his life
in a freak accident often involving his hunting or survival skills. The
general belief in certain legends concerning various individual animals
persists into the 20th century, many of which can be documented.

Among all tribes, the Albino animal had spirit connections, one of the
strongest among the Plains tribe was the White Buffalo, a definite omen
of great wisdom. The symbolic significance behind white or the quality
of "whiteness" was not associated with purity as in Western culture but
also wisdom and ancient knowledge of greater conceptual and spiritual
magnitude.

Depending on the animal species involved and how it corresponds within
the greater tribal cosmological context sometimes manifests the extent
of the consequences when the taboo is broken. Belief in the "spirit
nature" of albino animals and the ritual taboo of protection probably
has its roots in the fact that an albino's ability to survive natural
predators is greatly reduced by the lack of proper pigmentation for
camouflage and keener vision to spot prey. These natural attributes
render an albino "unfair" game for the Native hunter, or any hunter
aware of the spiritual nature these animals might possess. Even the
skin or hides of these animals must be treated with reverence.

Following the customs of these legends regarding the hunting and
trapping restrictions were not in as much out of fear for the taboo but
more so with respect to the higher aspect of Nature and the CreatoR