Act for the Water Every Day

A water walk is just the beginning. Caring for the water is a way of life. In the above video Sharon Day talks about how we must pray for the water spirits every day. There are many ways you can do something for the water every day.

You are invited to take a moment to reconnect to your love for water and articulate your commitment to the water. The above video will guide you through the “My Body of Water” practice. You are invited to post your pictures somewhere where you will remember them or send them to Nibi Walk to be included in a future collection. Please send them to Nibi Walk, 1335 E, 23rd St., Minneapolis, MN 55404 or
nibiwalk @ gmail.com

Weekly water ceremony

In Saint Paul, Sharon Day leads a water ceremony at Hidden Falls Regional Park every Sunday at 9 AM. Enter at the North Gate for the park and meet near the boat launch. As with the water walk protocols, women are asked to wear skirts. The ceremony lasts less than an hour and happens every week, year round. If you live somewhere else you might find a connection to ceremonies near where you live through the Nibi Walks Facebook Group.

COVID-19 Update: We meet with masks and practice distancing. If you can bring your own tobacco that is one more way to reduce contact.

Praying for the water every day

By Sharon Day

Not so long ago, we walked the Salt River, and a song appeared on Facebook with a lyric, “Spread love like honey.”

I begin to ponder the prayer circles we have laid across turtle island, to the east along the banks of the Potomac and James Rivers to Chesapeake Bay. To the south along the Mississippi and Ohio rivers to the Gulf of Mexico. To the west along the Salt River and Missouri. To the north along the Red River to Lake Winnipeg. And Josephine’s walks around the Great Lakes and to the Saint Lawrence Seaway. I can picture the women gathering pebbles and rocks and flowers and twigs, whatever is available on the earth to adorn these prayer circles to hold our asemaa, our prayers, and songs.

Spread Love like honey.

I imagine all of these circles connecting with a golden light, gold like honey, like a honeycomb, protecting the water ways, protecting Nimama Akii, Mother Earth. Perhaps we can all imagine, image mother earth as she continues to heal under that golden light of our grandmother, Nibahgeesis Nokomis as we are also healed. Sing, meditate, offer our thanksgivings for a better world where food is distributed to all, where shelter is available to all, where medicine is available to all, and love and kindness become the “new normal.” Love, kindness, generosity is extended to all, plants, animals, birds and yes, to human beings.

Migwetch to the women who sang the song that contained the lyrics, Spread Love like Honey, and to Sara Thomsen for Return, Return that contain the lyrics, “Golden Light inside of me, Golden light guide me.”

Prayer Circle on the Wisconsin River Nibi Walk. Photo by Carmelita Sharkback

You can make a prayer circle at your home

I encourage you to extend the honeycomb of prayer circles into your home. You can make a prayer circle with whatever you have, inside or outside depending on what it available to you, and use it to pause, reflect, pray, and make offerings.

For Earth Day 2020 I helped Plymouth Congregational Church make a prayer circle. May this short video about making the prayer circle inspire you.

Speak for the Water

Every day there are many opportunities to speak up for the water. For example you can

  • Participate in caucuses
  • Submit comments or testimony to advisory boards
  • March for the water

What will you do for the water?