River Story: Water Ceremony at the Mississippi
I walk the rivers. I walk the rivers to sing and pray to the spirit of the water.
In 2013, I and a group of water walkers walked the length of the Mississippi River. We gathered the water at Lake Itasca and carried it in a copper pail to Fort Jackson, LA. Fort Jackson is 70 miles south of New Orleans.
We began on March 1 and walked for 65 days. We met with people along the way. They told us their stories of the Mississippi River. They shared their love of the river and the concerns for her well being.
Except for my grandson, Deon, I did not know the other walkers. They were all called to the walk after listening to myself or Grandmother Josephine Mandamin talk about walking for the water. We were united by our love for the water and for the Mississippi River. We had ceremonies at Effigy Bear Mounds and Cohokia and in Memphis, Tennessee.
We poured the water back into the river at Fort Jackson joined by the Humma people and others. When we poured the water from the headwaters into the Mississippi, a wave came and rolled over our feet, then next wave over our ankles and then our shins. The fourth wave came to our knees. We were kissed by the river.
When we returned to our respective homes in W. Virginia, Winnipeg, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, we each longed for the river. To be walking along the river, with the sun on our faces and the wind singing in our ears. It was almost a physical longing. We missed the river so much and the family we had become. We dreamed about walking along the river. Waking up and feeling as though we were late for the walk.
I decided a way for us to continue to be connected was to go to the river. Every Sunday, I and others, go to Hidden Falls. We stand at the shore on the sandy beach or on the ground above when the river is high. We gather a bit of the river in a copper vessel. We offer our asemaa, we speak what is in our hearts, and we sing to the river spirits. We then put the river water back into the Mississippi.
Water walkers do the same in their respective homes on their own bodies of water, wherever they are, in Grand Rapids, St. Louis, Memphis, NYC, Round Lake, Wisconsin, and West Virginia. The Mississippi and other rivers unite us, always and forever. Since then, we have done many ceremonies for people at the river. It is a healing place.
by Sharon Day
The River Story Map
Created and coordinated by volunteer extraordinaire Michael Bischoff, the River Story Map kicks off FMR's silver anniversary year with 25+ stories of friendship with and connection to the metro Mississippi. These honest and personal reflections portray the river as a source of intrigue and adventure, a beloved date night venue, and even an unlikely partner in tales of loss and healing. We hope you enjoy them and consider adding your personal story of friendship with the Mississippi River.