SHEGUIANDAH—A group of Sheguiandah First Nation members and elders took part in a water walk late last year. The walk is a ceremony that invokes the water spirits and seeks their aid in assisting the community in its time of need.
“The purpose of hosting Sheguiandah First Nation’s Third Annual Walk is to bring awareness to our community of why it is vital to protect and look after our water,” said organizer Shelba Deer. “To know that water is sacred and if it wasn’t for the water there would be no life. That’s why at the beginning of the water walk we had one of the women scoop the water (neh-beh) into the copper pot to remind the people that the women (kweok) are water carriers because they have that ability to give life and carry birth water when they are pregnant, but also have a duty to be the protectors of the water and they carry that sacred knowledge of the water.”
Ms. Deer went on to explain that “when that copper pot is carried it is a reminder that some of our water is sick in Canada and different parts of the world, but when it is in that copper pot it becomes purified by the copper and with the duration of the walk along with the prayers of the women and then it returns to Lake Huron. When the water is returned those prayers go back in the water along with the spirit of the water because the water is a living being with its own consciousness and intelligence.”
As part of the ceremony a small wooden raft is set adrift in the waters of Lake Huron bearing offerings of sacred medicines and food.
“The water bundle is a wooden raft that is harvested, dried, peeled and painted red to represent all the blood life on Mother Earth and the green represents all the plant life on Mother Earth,” said Ms. Deer. “We put food on the raft, something shiny like a coin, tobacco and smudge it with sage. It is pretty much a spirit plate offering for the water, to feast and pray to the water spirits and the water to give our thanks and ask for help for the people.”
Ms. Deer noted that everyone offered their prayers into the water bundle offering and had the men, women and a child (Jaxson) take turns carrying the water bundle offering throughout the walk.
“It is important for everyone to do their part when it comes to these water ceremonies and walks and it not just the women, but everyone in the community,” said Ms. Deer. “The whole water walk isn’t just a ceremony or something small, the whole walk itself is a ceremony and it is a ceremony of life for the people, for the water and for all life on earth. That is why we do this walk to promote healing, knowledge and teachings for everyone and future generations to come and even for the ones that couldn’t be there.”
During the walk, community members took turns carrying the copper pot of water, including Ms. Deer, Marlene Aguonie, Amanda Aguonie, Lauren Satok, Lyman Aguonie (who carried the eagle staff and water bundle offering) and youth Jaxson Shidock, who carried the water bundle offering for part of the walk.
UCCM Special Constables Victor Pitawanakwat, Jeremiah Corbiere and Matt Bebonang provided escort and carried the Sheguiandah Eagle Staff and water offering bundle offering through most of the walk.
Special Constable Bebonang was gifted an eagle feather by Elder Agoneh for the officer’s efforts in volunteering to carry the eagle staff and for walking into the ice cold water with the water bundle.
Traditional healer and elder Agoneh provided song and drumming throughout the morning ceremonies, including sunrise and pipe ceremonies.
Ms. Deer, Sheguiandah First Nation Health Centre wellness promoter and knowledge keeper coordinated and organized the water walk based on the guidance of her elders, mentors, peers and especially from the direction of the spirits. She provided a special chi miigwetch to Josephine (Joanne) Fox, healthy lifestyles coordinator who assisted with coordination, planning and organization of the water walk and who gave away gifts/incentives to all the helpers (a shiny new copper cup), Sheguiandah First Nation operations and maintenance workers who shovelled and clear the pathway for the tipi set up and delivered the table and chairs, the cook, Jaden Francis who prepared brunch and Bianca Aguonie who assisted with food preparation.
Ms. Deer also offered her thanks to Noojmowin-Teg Health Centre’s fire keeper Jonn Naveau and helpers Jordon Hill and Given Cortes who set up the wigwam. Noojmowin Teg lent the water walkers the tipi and contributed the four sacred medicines used in the ceremonies (tobacco, cedar, sweetgrass, sage) as well as donating the copper cups given to the participants.
