Water Walkers From Thunder Bay will Journey to Support Purpose Behind Idle No More At Nipigon Rally

Written by NetNewsLedger on 14 January 2013

By James Murray/NetNewsLedger

Panoramic view of the Spirit Garden taken at the Idle No More Teach in in Thunder Bay on December 21st 2012. Photo copyright NetNewsLedger

THUNDER BAY, ON – Teresa Trudeau Magiskan is continuing a journey. In support of the purpose of Idle No More, Teresa and a team of Water Walkers will travel from Thunder Bay to Nipigon. The Water Walk is in support of the purpose behind Idle No More. It is a plea to all Canadians to understand and support the environmental issues facing Canadians over the changes put forward by the Conservatives.

“Please focus on solutions and not talk about the problem, we all know what the problems are,” shares Magiskan. By taking the path of a Water Walk she is following on a path that her mother, and other Anishnawbek women have blazed. The Mother Earth Water Walk started in 2003, and saw success as the walkers have walked around all of the Great Lakes. The women walked around Lake Superior in Spring 2003, around Lake Michigan in 2004, Lake Huron in 2005, Lake Ontario in 2006, and Lake Erie in 2007.

The Water Walk will begin Monday at the Spirit Garden at the Marina with a Sunrise Ceremony.

Water Walker Schedule

Tersa shares, “Across from Water Street terminal, there is a Spirit Garden, that is where we will be at 8am, sunrise probably about 8:30am, we will be waiting for the sunrise. Ron Indain-Mandamin will be there to give us blessing and prayers for a safe journey. We will walk from the terminal to the intersection at Hwy 11/17, and send off the walkers that will be walking to Nipigon”.

Teresa shares, “Walkers are needed to walk down Cumberland Street, to Hodder Avenue to the intersection in a peaceful demonstration walk led by Water Rock Drum. Drummers are needed, the wampum belt banner also needs to be carried. This peaceful demonstration walk will end at the intersection, and walkers will begin walking from there to Red Rock where they will rest for the night on Monday in a Motel, and continue in the morning to Nipigon, where they will stay the night on Tuesday, and Wednesday morning walk to the rally. A vehicle will be with the walkers so they can rest at intervals. People with vehicles could also help. A convoy of vehicles could also be used for people that support but don’t want to walk”.

“There will be an Idle No More Rally at Nipigon on Wednesday starting at 12:00 and closing remarks at 3:30.

“The Water Walkers walking from Thunder Bay will meet up with this rally, it is not called a Blockade. We will be slowing traffic and distributing brochures along the way on Monday, all day”.

On January 16th, a Day of Action has been declared by First Nations groups.

That action will involve blockades of roadways, railways and other peaceful demonstrations.