Honoring Water, Air, Earth & Fire

Water is the most life sustaining gift on Mother Earth and is the interconnection among all living beings.  Water sustains us, flows between us, within us, and replenishes us.  Water is the blood of Mother Earth and cleanses her and all living things.  Water comes in many forms and all are needed for the health of Mother Earth and for our health.  The sacred water element teaches us that we can have great strength to transform even the tallest mountain while being soft, pliable, and flexible.  Water gives us the spiritual teaching that we too flow into the Great Ocean at the end of our life journey.  Water shapes the land and gives us the great gifts of the rivers, lakes, ice, and oceans.  Water is the home of many living things that contribute to the health and well-being of everything not in the water.

Participants opened the discussion by sharing their thoughts about water.  Collectively, participants acknowledged that their health, livelihoods, spirituality and overall wellbeing is shaped by and depends on water.

“We are now unable to drink or swim in our water”

“When we drain aquifers the result is greater wildfires”

“Many First Nation communities suffer from diseases that were unknown prior to contact (such as diabetes, asthma and cancer)”

Topics discussed included how to deal with widespread contamination of waterways, impacts of damming and water diversion projects, overextraction of water, and destruction of wetland and aquatic habitats. 

“The next war will be over water”

Participants expressed urgency in their statements, noting that they are already witnessing massive destruction of waterways as they once were, and that the effects of this treatment of water will be widespread and will continue to escalate.  The impacts of climate changes on oceans, lakes, rivers, streams and wetlands loom as an unknown whose influence many participants are already experiencing.

“The mines are pumping our groundwater sources dry – they are drying up the mountain springs and stealing this water from our unborn children”

Participants stressed the need to act now for the benefit of future generations.

Air is a moving giver of life. The element of Air stands for the life force that that brings all people into existence from their first breath.  The ancient ones have long understood that the wind is the intermediary plain which connects the spirit world to our own.  Air also symbolizes the mental and spiritual process which brings understanding and inspiration through thought into form.

“The mines are filling the air with mercury”

“We are now afraid of our land, air and water because of contamination. We cannot gather our medicines or plant our gardens. People and animals in our community are born with deformities.”

“Global warming will result in disaster if we, the two-leggeds, do not act”

Discussions about air focused on air pollution and the need to address the dirty air that is in cities and non-urban spaces.  Participants talked about the different types of industrial and non-industrial air pollution that they experience, threats posed by global warming and the extreme impacts of air pollution on human health.

“Our children now suffer from asthma and other unknown diseases. They can’t breathe and run and play the way we could when we were children. We must clean the air for our childrens’ grandchildren.”

“We should look to the larger cities and focus on creating greener space to purify the air in these cities”

As in all of the discussions, issues raised by participants from all areas of the continent were remarkably similar.  Struggles over ownership with the foreign governments occupying their territories are a major challenge requiring unified action.

“The Canadian and American governments believe they own the air. We question that authority – the air belongs to Indigenous Peoples...when you control the airshed you have airshed sovereignty”

 

Honouring Earth

From the realms of the human world, the sky dwellers, the water beings, forest creatures and all other forms of life, the beautiful Mother Earth gives birth to, nurtures and sustains all life. Mother Earth provides us with our food and clean water sources. She bestows us with materials for our homes, clothes and tools.  She provides all life with raw materials for our industry, ingenuity and progress.  She is the basis of who we are as “real human beings.” This includes our languages, our cultures, our knowledge and wisdom to know how to conduct ourselves in a good way.  If we listen from the place of connection to the Spirit That Lives In All Things, Mother Earth teaches what we need to know to take care of her and all her children. All are provided by our Mother, the Earth.

“Respect the earth – our Grandfathers teach us by example”

“We must not forget our sacred sites”

“We must focus our minds and energy on earth power as the starting place for action”

“We must work hard to maintain our traditional languages; we gain strength and power from the land”

Honouring Earth was the opening topic on the second day of official Convening discussions.  As much of the first day of discussions had focused on challenges, participants spent this second day discussing both challenges and solutions.  Discussions opened by acknowledging the importance of all Indigenous peoples recognizing and taking on their roles as caretakers of Mother Earth.  Participants expressed their profound spiritual connection to Mother Earth, and the pain they feel in witnessing her destruction through mining, developments of all kinds and over-extraction of her rich resources. 

“Human populations are exploding and we ourselves are destroying the Earth”

“They destruct our land through open-pit mining”

“The government uses money to divide our communities; the gold companies are destructing life”

Participants identified the disparity in resource distribution between rich and poor nations and peoples.  They discussed the disproportionate health impacts suffered by indigenous peoples and those who are closest to the land.

“It is not fair to alter life for money”

“Peasants in Mexico, who struggle to obtain any resources, are encouraged to use chemicals by those who are rich”

“Cancers and leukemia rates are rising among peasants who use fertilizers and agri-chemicals”

“The people with the resources are not interested in our community problems - our grandchildren are the ones who will suffer”

Through these difficult discussions participants refused to be disempowered by the abuses suffered by their peoples at the hands of foreign governments and industries.  They remained committed to finding solutions and imagining a healing path forward. 

“We should encourage development of legislation that gives penalties for use of toxic materials and taxes excessive use of water and other materials”

“We need to revive our spirit – prayer works. We must share our stories and experiences. This is difficult work but it is essential.”

Mother Earth has bestowed the gift of fire to her children and provides warmth and energy.  The gift of Fire is believed to be the giver of new life and is often associated with fertility.  Fire is the element that requires the utmost care and attention since it can bring new life and take life away.  Fire can devastate land during times of drought but can also provide a natural cleansing of Mother Earth.  The element of fire provides the gifts of all sources of energy to her children. 

In their discussions to honour Fire, participants remained committed to identifying solutions.  Oil and gas are being aggressively sought in many Indigenous traditional territories to fulfill worldwide energy needs.  While some of Mother Earth’s Indigenous children have received a new found wealth as a result, this has also created numerous social problems and environmental health concerns.  Many communities have not been prepared for dealing with the consequences of having mines or oil projects in their traditional lands. 

“Oil companies bribe our people”

“We must be careful about what we burn”

Participants identified the need to heal the rifts created in so many of their communities by this presence and to protect Mother Earth from further assault.  They brought forward teachings from Elders who have long warned that uranium is a gift of fire never to be disturbed.  They stressed that we must find her at the same time.

“Mining and nuclear projects are using the things of the earth in bad ways. We need to change and use these things in good ways.”

“Technology can be used to improve our lives – consider recycling”

“We should build youth councils to promote environmental advocacy”