On Saturday October 18th, we attended a local workshop entitled Down River- Watershed Discipleship--sponsored by KAIROS Canada http://www.kairoscanada.org/
About 50 of us joined together to learn and to affirm our interest in keeping our local watersheds healthy—for our own sakes and that of the generations to come.
Our Aboriginal sister Mary Deleary shared with us the wisdom of the First Nations that the water is a not a commodity. It is a sacred spirit. Mary, an Algonquian Anishnawbe mother and grandmother reminded us that we are born through water. Our water has rights. If it is not well, we are not well. Our actions impact the health of the water. Did you know the standards for water consumed by cattle are higher than standards for water consumed by humans? We were reminded that humankind depends on the birds, the animals, water and the earth; however, these things do not depend on us for their survival. When our settler ancestors came to North America, they called it the “New Land”. It was not new. All parts of the earth are the same age. It just seemed ‘new’ because the Aboriginal people had lived in harmony with the land and did not abuse it.
George Henry, an elder of the Chippewa of the Thames First Nation, talked of the treaties that our settler ancestors signed with the First Nations. Aboriginal people do not believe that the land can be owned by anyone. When they signed the treaties they agreed to share the land with us. Many of these treaties are not respected. There are ongoing lawsuits that will hopefully result in more protection for the land, the water and the Aboriginal people.
Sara Stratton from KAIROS Canada--the Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiative-- showed us a map of Canada that indicated the 5 watersheds of our country. Whatever happens in one watershed—affects oceans that surround us. Did you know that our bodies our composed of 2/3 water and most of that water comes from our local watershed? She talked of Watershed Discipleship/Reconciliation. She suggested we “decolonize” ourselves and that we “indigenize” ourselves. We need to learn about the “theology of watersheds”. What is our impact on our local watershed? What happens upstream effects downstream.
Often economic interests are put before a healthy relationship with water. “You can’t eat money!” says Bryan Smith the chairperson for Oxford People against the Landfill (OPAL). http://www.opalalliance.ca/
He is a strong advocate and educator. OPAL has organized a protest against turning a limestone quarry into a landfill for garbage..This porous quarry is right beside the Thames River and any leaks would cause grave environmental damage. The Council of Canadians http://canadians.org/public-water is calling for Direct Action—talking is not enough. See more at http://thamesriver.on.ca/watershed-health/ and at http://www.kettlecreekconservation.on.ca/
Join us--be a down river disciple!
Sr Mary Boere csj and Associates Jean Bowden and Pat Howe
“A picture is worth a thousand words,” refers to the fact that a complex idea can be conveyed with a single still image. This adage rings true in Bruce MacKinnon’s recent internationally acclaimed cartoon. MacKinnon depicts soldiers atop the National War Memorial coming alive to assist their fallen comrade, Captain Nathan Cirillo who lies dying at their feet.
