Beside Restful Waters

by Greg Hermann

“What will you do for the water?”

Grandmother Josephine Mandamin

Early in the decade of the 2000’s, the Grand Chief of the Three Fires Midewiwin Lodge approached Grandmother Josephine. He shared his troubled conscience, stating that Native American women are being abused in horrific numbers. Further, the water of the world is being abused horrifically.

Grandmother Josephine spoke her knowledge that women carry water. Through this water, they are purified every 28 days. Through this water, they bring life into the world. Through this water, each one of us is ushered into our physical world. Our bodies our 70% - 80% water. Mother Earth is 70% - 80% water. This is the design of Gizhe Manidoo, our Great Mystery, our God. Our water is sick, polluted.

Grandmother Josephine acted! Women are being abused. Water is being abused. All of Creation is suffering.

Let’s walk.

Let’s walk for the water.

Let’s walk for our women.

Let’s walk for our lives.

Grandmother Josephine began walking – from the mouth of the St. Lawrence Seaway and around all the Great Lakes – several times – carrying a copper bucket filled with the essence of our lives – water.

Tens of thousands of people have joined these walks to further our awareness of our need to protect, honor and save our water.

I can expound for hours. But here is the question asked by Grandmother Josephine every time she spoke of the water:

What will you do for the water?

The teachings of life and water are carried by our women. Please ask them for further depth of relating to water.

Namaste’