WATER IS LIFE WALK ~ MERRIMACK RIVER ~ July 23 through August 21, 2017
Source to Sea
Grandmother Carole Cetan Nagi Blodgett’s current commitment to the Sacred Water is a healing walk within the Merrimack River Watershed in New Hampshire and for ALL THE LIFE that the SacredWater sustains. Each step is a prayer. As we carry the Sacred Water with love, respect, and gratitude from the headwater’s Source to the Sea; our footsteps transfer those energies into the land where it is picked up by every drop of Water in the soil and is then passed on to the Water within the roots of all plants and trees. As the drops gather into streams, creeks, brooks and rivers the finned, winged and the 4 legged come to the SacredWater and they too pick up those energies. Praying for the SacredWater is praying for everything and everyone ~ for nothing lives without Water.
We walk because the ancestors walked ~ by walking we follow in their footsteps and can pick up the “treasures” that were left along the trail! The Seventh Fire Prophecy tells us to pick up the treasures left by the ancestors and bring them back. One of the “treasures” that was left for us to pick up is the connection of Human Beings to the SacredWater that birthed us all. When we find or rebirth this connection we begin to move from seeing Water as a resource into the deeper understanding that SacredWater is the SOURCE of Life. That process helps return the sacred nature of Water back into the word and our understanding of that sacredness. In Native languages the words for Water include within the word the Sacred Nature of the Water. When I speak in English I like to say SacredWater as one word because in English the sacred nature of Water has been removed from the word.
WATER IS LIFE WALK is a Celebration of Life.
As we walk I suggest walkers take notice of all the plants and animals that come across our path and look inside to see their connection to each other and the Sacred Water. It is a way of reconnecting ourselves to All That Is within the Web of Life (the Universe). Bringing us back to the understanding that none of the plants and animals that feed us would be here if it were not for the water, none of the trees and plants that make our air would be here and without them we would not be here! All of this helps us remember or renew our personal connection to the SacredWater that birthed us all and continues to sustain us everyday.
Our ancestors cut these waters in their birch bark canoes from source to the sea with many portage trails along the way! As we travel down the river we will address the dams along the river. Each dam obstructs the natural flow of the water and movement of the fish and wildlife that are needed to sustain a healthy river. Each dam creates a catch-basin for pollutants from the mills and communities upstream as well as organic waste from storm runoff ~ pollution builds up as we go down the river.
All Nations ~ All Faiths ~ One Prayer for the SacredWater is the connecting Source Of Life ~ the Great Unifier. You do not have to belong to a Tribal Nation for this to affect you ~ we were all born of the water ~ all our children were born of the water and all our grandchildren will be born of the water. If we do nothing WHAT KIND OF WATER will they spend those first nine months in?
WATER IS LIFE WALK ~ MERRIMACK RIVER ~July 23 through August 21, 2017 ~
The Source of the Northwest branch of the Merrimack River is now called the Pemigewasset River and there are 3 sources the northernmost is up by Profile Lake in New Hampshire; the other 2 are a little to the southeast near Ethan Pond Trail (these are wilderness hiking access only). The other branch is now known as the Winnipesaukee River and the source is Lake Winnipesaukee. We will be doing many Ceremonies everyday as we come downriver. We will carry the headwaters to the Sea in Newburyport, Mass and when we pour those waters into the ocean it will have traveled Source to Sea without the manmade obstruction or contamination for the first time in generations. It always makes me cry ~ tears of joy for the honor to Carry Our SOURCE OF LIFE and tears of sadness that we have so much work still left to do. We will walk Source to Sea ~ so according to current maps we are walking 3 rivers ~ the 2 northern branches of the river have been renamed.
You can follow us on FB Water is Life Walks community https://www.facebook.com/waterislifewalk/
Feel free to call me with questions. 603-325-3444
Love, Respect, and Gratitude, Carole Cetan Nagi Blodgett