NIBI

What can we do for our Mother Earth? Share the experience of what I and others have learned from family and friends. Share tips and techniques that are easy ideas to follow. Take the time teaching others to care for Mother Earth today and always.

Water is especially important for our planet. Water is Life.

My mother was always an environmentalist when I was growing up, even though she was never called that. She was always conscious of our environment, always teaching others. Reusing water, saving rainwater for her garden.

Reusing, recycling, repurposing, and reducing use and purchases. She taught me to replace my screen on my windows, instead of buying new windows. She taught me to reupholster my kitchen chairs rather than buy a new set.

Growing up we would sew our clothes, garden, and can and so much more. Now my children and grandchildren do these things.

As a young woman, I rode a bicycle, or a motorcycle whenever I could. I continue to ride a motorcycle as often as I have the chance.

I started to recycle at about seventeen after I was married. At first, I would be paid for cans, then paper and glass. My uncle used to recycle cans and he had my children crushing cans when they were young and they loved that.

Uncle would talk about how much money he would get from cans and how there were people in his neighborhood who saved their cans for him. In some states some containers are paid for yet. In Minnesota, aluminum cans bring some money.

I have recycled for over 50 years.

In the late seventies or early eighties, I was at a women’s meeting on the reservation. In that meeting were two women from Canada. The older woman spoke of how women are the caretakers of water and because of that, we must act.

Water is in trouble. Without water, there is no life. Water is in danger of becoming so polluted that life as we know it will no longer be. As women, we bring life into being. We care for our families and we are the ones that keep our people together.

Now to be clear, she never said it is the Indigenous women’s job, she was clear in saying it is the women’s job. Our families are important, and our people are important. Water is alive and water is life.

It was recommended that we participate in a monthly moon ceremony and many did that, beginning right away. These included women gathering, within 4 days of the full moon. Four days before or four days after. It was important for women to gather.

It was important to pray and sing. To share with other women. The moon ceremonies started around the state. I attended at Cass Lake, Duluth, and the Twin Cities, Urban area.

Then there were water walks that started to happen in Minnesota and in other states and through other states from places in Canada, from the north to the south, the east and west coast. Weekly water ceremonies have been happening for at least seven or eight years since I wrote this.

This is Minnesota and I'm not sure where else they are happening or for how long. It felt like we were all alone most of the time and gradually the water ceremonies grew and grew some more. The water walks have grown and grown. Now there is biking and paddling for the water too.

Some of the things we talk about in our talking circle at the water ceremony each week are where all the water walks are and what else is going on that we know about. Thoughts and prayers were sent for the bicycling and paddling for the water that happened this past weekend.

Then there are tips and techniques for being good stewards of the environment. One of the women is so determined to not use straws unless they are of the metal variety that she brought everyone a straw and cleaner.

A restaurant she goes to regularly has a sign-up that says, you will need to ask for a straw as we believe in the protection of the sea life by not using straws.

Another woman models using cloth napkins, rather than the restaurants' napkins even though their paper napkins are made out of recycled material. Still, another woman picks up not only her dogs number 2 but others also in the dog park.

While staying anywhere but home, I take recyclables home with me of anything that the place doesn’t recycle.

I pick up the roads by our house every year at least once. I also contribute to non-profits that have environmental projects and cleanups. Many of us do not buy water in bottles and especially not from places like Nestle’s and I boycott all their products.

I taught my children to bring out of the BWCA and other campgrounds what they take into campsites. I involved them and now grandchildren in my environmental tasks.

I knew my 17-year-old grandson was used to picking up without getting found out when we stopped to pick up fast food garbage in the middle of the road and he did it quickly and was back in no time at all.

We all are careful with water use and join or support other causes like water, not oil. Even though we have done a lot and I have seen progress, it is not enough. My concern is that it will be too little too late, as the saying goes.

Please do your part for Mother Earth and Nibi. Share tips and techniques with others and model good environmental habits with those around you. And remember that baby steps are better than no steps and you never know who you are influencing.

Thank you for what you do for Mother Earth and know that Water is Life.