First Nation women offering prayers for the water on Aboriginal Water Day of Action
Native communities focus attention on protecting water supplies
April 13, 2009
Native peoples across North America and Australia held water ceremonies Monday.
The Aboriginal Water Day of Action was meant to draw attention to the state of the world's water supplies.
In Canada, the event was co-ordinated by the Native Women's Association of Canada in collaboration with the annual Mother Earth Water Walk.
Michelle Paul, a Mi’kmaq mother, attended a ceremony in Dartmouth, N.S., with her four-year old daughter.
She dropped ceremonial tobacco into a lake as drummers played out a steady rhythm nearby. "I pray that the water will get better," she explained.
Countries "need to stop bottling up the water and selling it. They need to leave it alone, and they need to keep it safe, and protect it," Paul said.
The idea for a water tribute day first came in a dream to Josephine Mandamin, an Anishnabe grandmother from Ontario.
She acted on her vision and has walked around the Great Lakes since 2003, along with other supporters. This year's Mother Earth Water Walk began Monday along the St. Lawrence River at Kingston, Ont.
About 20 per cent of native communities in Canada do not have clean drinking water, according to Statistics Canada.
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Native Women’s Association of Canada press release
National Aboriginal Water Day of Action Scheduled Across Canada on April 13th
Ottawa, ON (April 9, 2009) – The Native Women’s Association of Canada, in collaboration with the annual Mother Earth Water Walk, will be holding the first annual National Aboriginal Water Day of Action on April 13th, 2009. This Aboriginal Water Day of Action will take place across North America and in Australia.
Water protection is the responsibility of all peoples. The objective of the National Water Day of Action focuses on raising awareness about the healing and protection of the waters, and to preserve this precious natural resource. Communities will join together to host local events, including traditional water ceremonies, and engage in vigils, feasts, prayers, and walks.