Over the past few years, I’ve expanded the
reach of Songs for the Water to a board and community level, including a trip to Island Lake Conservation Area at the headwaters of the Credit River. Trough these experiences, my students have begun to see themselves as stewards of the water while gaining a sense of agency.
WATER IS OUR RELATIVE: LEARN- ING FROM THE GRANDMOTHERS
My water program is deeply influenced by Josephine Mandamin-baa, the first Grand- mother Water Walker. In 2022, I began shar- ing her vision and Indigenous views of water by teaching about the Grandmother Water Walkers and their movement to heal the wa- ters around the Great Lakes and the rivers in between. In recent years, I was also intro- duced to Masaru Emoto’s water conscious- ness research. A pioneer in the study of water, he observed that water exposed to positive stimuli formed beautiful, symmetrical crys- tals, while water subjected to negative influ- ences showed distorted, chaotic patterns. In traditional curriculum, our students
are taught about water as a resource. In my program, students hear and see First Nations, Inuit and Métis people singing to water, pray- ing for water and telling stories connected to this practice. Tey learn from inspirational water activists and Knowledge Keepers and discover that water is our relative and needs to be cared for just like humans need care. I share the Nibi Water Song, written by Do- reen Day and her grandson and sung by In- digenous and non-Indigenous people across Turtle Island. Tis song says: “Water we love you, we thank you, we respect you.” I ground my teaching in literature and
authentic voices, sharing books and videos made by First Nations, Inuit and Métis peo- ples as much as possible. Every year, I choose a book by an Indigenous author about water along with a video highlighting different In- digenous worldviews of water to share with my students.
WRITING SONGS FOR THE WATER
In 2022, aſter sharing these teachings and stories, I asked my students in grades 1 to 5 to write their own songs for the water. When sharing Indigenous teachings and culture, it’s crucial that students do not copy or ap- propriate materials, but instead reflect on them and use them as inspiration for their
32 ETFO VOICE | SPRING 2025
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