The Council of Canadians Guelph chapter and Wellington Water Watchers partnered for a ‘Full Moon Water Blessing’ on Mother’s Day, May 14.
The promotion for the gathering explains, “Full Moon Water Blessings provide opportunities for the public to gather to appreciate and celebrate the magic and majesty of water by joining together and reflecting upon the importance of water in our lives. Marianne’s Park, Guelph. Confluence of the Speed and Eramosa Rivers.”
A media release issued afterwards highlighted, “The event was opened by 91-year-old, Great Grandmother, Helen Prowse, giving a Territorial Acknowledgment. Marianne’s Park, overlooking the confluence of the rivers and Guelph’s covered bridge, was the perfect setting to pay tribute to two Canadian Grandmother Water Protectors, Josephine Mandamin and Maude Barlow.”
It then notes, “Amanda Trites, of the Anishanaabe Centre on Suffolk/Norwich S, honoured Grandmother Josephine, who with a copper pail of water in one hand and a staff in the other, at 69 years of age walked over 16,000 km around the Great Lakes to raise collective consciousness about the health of our water. She is known as the ‘Water Walker’. Norah Chaloner celebrated the many accomplishments of 69-year-old Maude Barlow who among many other achievements has been the long-time chairperson of the environmental watchdog group, Council of Canadians.”
Wellington Water Watches notes, “The first of such Full Moon Water Blessings happened on November 13, 2016. A group gathered to honour the sacredness of water in accordance with Annishnabeg traditions. Amidst the lingering scent of burning sage, jars of water from area waterways that had been gathered over the past months were poured into two copper pots after a story about those waters had been shared.”
Wellington Water Watchers invites groups with a variety of faith and cultural traditions to co-host Full Moon Water Blessings in order to reflect on the deeper relationship we all have with water and a duty we have to protect it.
For information on Wellington Water Watchers’ upcoming Waterstock gathering, which Council of Canadians chapters are promoting, please click here.
