BELWOOD – “Water is life – without water, we can’t exist, plain and simple.”
That’s why Laurie Minor is walking, praying and singing along the Grand River.
The Grand River Water Walk includes 12 core water walkers, along with supporters, walking the Grand River every day from Sept. 17 to 23.
The walkers sing, pray, hold ceremony and carry sacred items – an eagle staff, and water from the river in a ceremonial copper pail.
Michael Clark, left, and Leanne Hennessy are two of the people walking along the Grand River this week to pray for the water. Photo by Robin George
The water was collected from the river’s source near Dundalk village, and will be carried by foot to the river’s mouth at Port Maitland, where it will be poured into Lake Erie.
When you pray for water, or Nibi, in Anishinaabemowin, it changes, said water walker Michael Clark.
“We believe that when we sing for her and offer her good words and prayers, she will become clean,” said walk organizer Mary Anne Caibaiosai.
When water is cleaner and healthier, so are plants, animals and people, Clark said.
Throughout the walk Clark said some people ran down their driveways to greet the walkers – thanking them for healing the water, and in turn healing their families.
On Sept. 17 they walked, prayed and sang along the Grand River from 5am until 4pm, and on Sept. 18 they did so from 3am until 1pm.
After the walk on Monday the group gathered at Belwood Lake to pray for the water trapped by the Shand Dam.
Belwood Lake is a 12km- long reservoir created by the construction of the dam in 1942.
The Grand River Water Walkers, including Michael Clark, left, and Leanne Hennessy, stopped at the Shand Dam to pray and sing for the water.
A great egret perched on a dock on the water as the group approached, finally flying away once everyone got very close and began to sing.
Water walker Leanne Hennessy compared damming the water to caging a wild animal, and Clark pondered about what might happen if there’s so much rainfall the dam bursts.
This walk is guided by teachings from Anishinaabe Elder and water-rights advocate Josephine-Baa Mandamin, who walked the shores of each of the five Great Lakes and along the St. Lawrence River.
Mandamin, who passed away in 2019, was known as “Grandmother Water Walker.”
The focus of this year’s Grand River Water Walk is healing the water behind dams.
The Caibaiosai sisters are Anishinaabe kwe from the Bear Clan. In this photo, they are wearing traditional ribbon skirts. Photo from grandriverwaterwalk.com
Caibaiosai said the walk will take place once a year for four years.
The direction of the walk will change each year – this year, the walk began at the source and will end at the mouth. Next year, the walkers will begin at Lake Erie and walk to the source near Dundalk.
“We say ‘Nga Zichiige Nibi Onji,’” Caibaiosai said – “we do it for the water.”
To donate funds for food, accommodations, ceremonial items and first aid supplies for the Grand River Water Walk, visit grandriverwaterwalk.com/donate.
To volunteer your time, email grandriverwaterwalk@gmail.com to ask what is needed and suggest what you can offer.
For more information visit grandriverwaterwalk.com.
