Sacred Water Circle growing
By Julie Kapyrka
PETERBOROUGH – The Sacred Water Circle has grown from founder Dorothy Taylor’s vision three years ago into a movement with 25 active members, 21 partner organizations, municipalities and First Nation communities, and over 50 additional volunteers.
“The Indigenous People of North and South America are calling for action to bring balance to the world,” says the Curve Lake woman. “The health and well being of water is critical to achieving and regaining that balance. A plan of action is required now with prayer and spiritual beliefs leading the way.”
Inspired by traditional teachings, the Circle’s community volunteers from diverse cultural backgrounds hosted a Sacred Water Gathering at Trent University May 2-4 that brought together spiritual leaders from across Turtle Island to share knowledge and to discuss future action with regards to respecting and protecting our most vital resource.
Josephine Mandamin, Wikwemikong, an Anishinaabe grandmother who has walked around all five Great Lakes to raise awareness about water, set the tone for the Trent gathering.
“You must ask yourself: What is my duty to the water? For our children, for our next generations, for the animals,” said Mandamin, who serves on the Anishinabek Nation’s Women’s Water Commission
At the Sacred Water Gathering Grandmother Josephine asked the audience to consider participating in her World Fast for Mother Earth, a worldwide four-day fast between June 20th and June 23rd, to “lessen the load for Mother Earth and to help her heal.”.
This year’s conference brought together a number of renowned teachers, including Chief Arvol Looking Horse — Keeper of the Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe for the Lakota Nation; Jose Dingula Moscote and Luntana Dingula Nacogi – People of the Earth La Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia; Gerald S. Lomaventema of the Hopi Nation, Shungopavi Village; Jhaimy Alvarez-Acosta, Andean Wisdomkeeper of the Quechua Nation; and Morris and Charlie Neyelle, Sahtu Dene, Deline First Nation.
Arvol Looking Horse brought a message of great urgency.
“We are at the crossroads. We need to find a secure path for future generations, to bring respect and honour back to Mother Earth. We need to make these changes or we are in trouble.
“We can face hardships and fears or we can unite spiritually. Our ways are beautiful. Believe… have faith that we shall succeed.”
He said recognition of sacred sites is indispensable for recovering and upholding natural balance in the world and called upon people of all nations to gather in these spaces on June 21st in prayer and to put pressure on world governments to recognize this date as “Honour Sacred Sites Day.”
Visit sacredwatercircle.ca to learn more about current and future projects.