‘At the Water’s Edge’ Water Walkers reach Spanish Residential School site

** Trigger Warning: readers are advised that this article deals with the subject of Indian Residential Schools. If anyone is experiencing distress or pain as a result of this article or their residential school experience, please call the Indian Residential Schools Crisis Line at 1-866-925-4419, 24 hours a day.

SPANISH– Recently, a group of Anishinaabekwe, including many Elders, took part in a Ceremonial Water Walk from Garson near Sudbury to the former Residential School site in Spanish. The 135 km walk took place over the course of three days from June 17 to June 19. Many of the Elders taking part in the walk are survivors of what was the largest Residential School in Ontario located where the Spanish River flows into Lake Huron on the North Shore in Spanish. 

Some of the core Walkers included Dallas Abitong, an Anishinaabekwe from Sagamok who mentored under and walked with the late Josephine-Ba Mandamin, also Annette Cristco another Anishinaabekwe from Sudbury. Laurentian University students who walked for the water for the first time included Kahtéraks Quinney-Goodleaf, Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk) from Kahnawake and nêhiyaw (Plains Cree) from Onion Lake, as well as Page Chartrand and Connor Lafortune, Anishinaabe youth from Dokis; they were all be joined by three Nohkomisak (Grandmothers) from Wiikwemkoong, Martina Osawamick who was a student at Spanish Residential School and Linda Manitowabi whose mother and aunts were all taken and Shauna Pitawanakwat, a cancer survivor. In the spirit of reconciliation, the walk also included members of the Junction Creek Stewardship Committee Raymond Trudeau, Miranda Virtanen, Lili Paradi, Margaret Hoar, Paula Wortan, and Jorge Virchez.  

Lead Walker and organizer of the walk Tasha Beeds is a former professor from Laurentian University in Sudbury, and now a guest scholar at the University of Windsor. Beeds first learned of the pollution in Junction Creek when she began her professorship in 2019. An old hand of many Water Walks, Beeds made the decision to commit to a walk for Junction Creek following a Fasting Ceremony and discussion with local Elders. In the past, Beeds has taken part in two of Grandmother Josephine Mandamin’s Water Walks around the Great Lakes, as well as Dr. Shirley Ida Williams and Liz Osawamick’s Water Walks in the Kawartha Lakes region. Beeds has completed about 7,000 km in her ongoing efforts to bring attention to the importance of water bodies in North America.

“The Spirit of the Water is at the core of this ceremonial movement across lands to foster awareness of the relationality of the Water to ourselves and the rest of Creation.  Like our Indigenous Ancestors, we move in Ceremony to articulate that relationship and to protect the Beings who sustain us for our future generations,” Beeds said. 

Beeds credits the late Josephine Mandamin for her inspiration, as well as Liz Osawamick and her Aunty Shirley Williams. Both Osawamick and Williams started the Water Walks in the Kawartha Lakes 12 years ago, picking up the bundle from Josephine Mandamin. She also received guidance from other Anishinaabe Elders and Knowledge Holders such as Charlie Nelson and Edna Manitowabi, the Chief Headman and Head Woman of Minweyweywigaan Midewiwin Lodge. 

The Water Walkers were accompanied by an Eagle Water Staff carrier for the duration of the walk. Two Ontario Provincial Police Indigenous Liaison officers were present to ensure the safety of the walkers. 

Upon arriving in Spanish, the group of walkers gathered at Highway 17 and Trunk Road before starting their final leg of the walk to the Residential School site. Prior to arriving at the school site, a gathering was held at the Spanish Cenotaph where Beeds along with Elders spoke to those taking part in the walk. Elder Shirley Williams was the lead walker carrying a copper pail filled with water from Junction Creek to the water’s edge near the former school site for the last leg of the ceremonial walk.

A private Ceremony for the survivors of Spanish Residential School was held at the end of the Water Walk on the Sunday following their arrival on Saturday.  Many First Nation people attended the private ceremony including Chief Alan Ozawanimke from Sagamok Anishnawabek. 

When asked if she had any plans for future Water Walks, Beeds answered, “Yes I’m leaving for the Rocky Mountains soon to walk for the Saskatchewan River 1900 km.”

“The Saskatchewan River Water Walk will occur in the Summer of 2021,” she said. “A small group of core Water Walkers will be walking in Ceremony 1,900 km across the Prairies for the River.  The Headwaters are in the Rockies the River ends in Manitoba Lake Winnipeg.  The walk will take about two months.”  

The “At the Water’s Edge” Water Walk was documented virtually, over various social media platforms.