Press release

Mother Earth Water Walk Returns and begins April 10, 2011

As the northern snows begin to melt and further south spring rains fall, our Mother Earth awakens and new life begins. At this time of renewal Anishinaabe grandmothers, women and men, and youth from Canada and the United States will continue walking for our waters. The Mother Earth Water Walk began in 2003 in answer to question—“What will you do?”

The 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 Mother Earth Water Walks encircled Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Ontario, and Lake Erie respectively. In 2008 the water walk revisited Lake Michigan. The 2009 Mother Earth Water Walk stretched from Kingston, Ontario to the Atlantic Ocean along St. Lawrence River.

The 11,525 miles or 18, 549 kilometers were walked to call attention to the sacred gift of water, the source of our life, the source of all life. The past walks also raised awareness of the need to take care of the water, and to help our Mother Earth who is struggling to survive and to provide for all her children.

Each of the 24,113,700 steps taken was a prayer for the water, for Mother Earth, for the animals, the birds, the insects, the trees and for us, all two leggeds. Together the walks were one prayer for life.

This spring the Water Walk returns and the prayer continues. The 2011 Water Walk unites all the waters of our Mother Earth. Water from the vast Pacific Ocean, from the Gulf of Mexico, from the Atlantic Ocean and from Hudson Bay will be gathered in copper pails and carried by hand to the shores of Lake Superior. Ocean water from the four directions will travel the miles with Anishinaabe women and men walking side by side.

The western water walk begins Sunday, April 10 in Aberdeen, Washington and travels through the States of Washington and Montana, the Provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitboa, and the States of North Dakota and Minnesota before arriving in Wisconsin.

On Wednesday, April 20, the southern water walk will leave Gulfport, Mississippi traveling through the States of Mississippi, Tennessee, Illinois, Iowa and into Wisconsin.

Walkers from the East will leave Machais, Maine on Saturday, May 7. Their walk will take them through the Provinces of Quebec, Ontario and into the States of Michigan and Wisconsin.

Churchill Manitoba is the beginning point for the Northern Water Walk. Water from Hudson Bay and the water walkers will travel, on Saturday May 21 by train toward the south to Winnipeg. Their route will carry the sacred water through Manitoba, Ontario and into Minnesota and Wisconsin.

The walkers, journeying over 10,400,000 steps and carrying the healing and sacred salt water from the four directions will converge June 12 in Bad River, Wisconsin. The water will then be united in Lake Superior, where the first Water Walk began.

The Anishinaabe, also known as the Ojibwe, Odawa and Potawatomi, are the caretakers of the eastern woodlands and Great Lakes, the largest freshwater system on Earth. Anishinaabe women, as givers-of-life, are responsible for speaking for, protecting and carrying our water.

All people are encouraged and welcome to participate in and to support the 2011 Water Walk as it passes through their Provinces, States and communities.

MAIN CONTACTS:
Elders: Josephine Mandamin Josephine.mandamin@gmail.com

Mailing List: Joanne Robertson waterwalk2011@gmail.com

NORTH Main Contact Contact Information

Debby Danard (Churchill) 416-985-2156 dddanard@hotmail.com
Josephine Mandamin (Churchill) Josephine.mandamin@gmail.com
Sue Chiblow (Churchill) 705-942-3100 sue@coo.org
Mookii Morrison (Winnipeg to Fort Frances) chyrelmorrison@hotmail.com
Elsie Leoso-Corbine (Duluth to Bad River) 715-292-0009 e_leoso@yahoo.com

EAST Main Contact Contact Information

Madeleine T Huntjens madohuntjens@gmail.com

SOUTH Main Contact Contact Information

Sharon Day 651-325-8077 smarieday@aol.com
Tara Chadwick wabigun@yahoo.com

WEST Main Contact Contact Information

Violet Caibaiosai mkwa_quay@yahoo.ca
Josephine Mandamin Josephine.mandamin@gmail.com

Email Money Transfers (Can & U.S.) - email to: waterwalk2011@gmail.com

Cheques may be made out to: Mother Earth Water Walk and mailed to:

Shingwauk Kinoomaage Gamig
Attn: Joanne Robertson, WW Coordinator
1550 Queen Street E
Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
P6A 2G3

Direct Deposit: Northern Credit Union Acct#: 14492 828 0161405641

www.motherearthwaterwalk.com

facebook: Water Walk 2011