Ewithai Wongithe! All My Relatives!
Good Morning to each of you! I am forwarding a message that I received today about the National Day of Action for Water in Canada on Monday, April 13, 2009. This event is being co-hosted by the Native Women's Association of Canada in support of the Mother Earth Water Walk started by Grandmother Josephine Mondamin.
The message I would also like each of you to consider here is this: What can each of us do to support this effort in our own communities and in Nebraska?
There is a lot of concern at this time for the contaminated water problem on the Omaha Indian Reservation here in Nebraska. Many families are effected by the contamination such that there are unable to drink any water from their taps out of fear of the E-coli bacteria. This has been on-going for the past several months.
I visited my mother two days ago and saw the situation first hand. She has been drinking bottled water from the one gallon plastic jugs that have been provided by the Omaha Tribe, which is a very good thing. But I am still concerned about the water in those plastic jugs after all the training I've been through last year on bottled water contaminants.
We are all busy, I know, and we must all pick our battles each day as we arise for work. Yet, in this work, is there room to help support an effort that will shed light upon an on-going battle to have safe drinking water in our Native communities?
I propose that we sponsor a Water Walk here in Nebraska not only to show support for our sisters in Canada but to also bring attention to what is happening right in our own backyards. I have heard that it takes a single drop to start a wave...
Contact me via email if you have any more questions! Wibthahon! Thank you!
Ewithai Wongithe! All My Relations!
- Renee
I grew up right next to the Susquehanna River in what is called Wyoming Valley Pennsylvania. Centuries ago, the Susquehannock, the Lenni Lenape and some of the Iroquois Confederacy used to live here. The Shawnee traded here. The river was their livelihood. It was teaming with fish and was used for drinking and bathing. When whites took over the river, it has been poisoned. You don't dare drink the water or eat the fish from it. Junk washes up upon it's shores. The Susquehanna is one of the oldest rivers on Turtle Island. If we destroy our water, mankind will die not long after.
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