Kristen Villebrun and Wendy Bush hoped they wouldn't have to pray for Chedoke Creek, but four years after they first raised alarm about the water's condition, they were part of an Indigenous full moon ceremony to do just that. About 50 people showed up near Princess Point on the dark and frigid Monday evening for the monthly ceremony, which was particularly special as it focused on Chedoke Creek. The body of water that runs into Cootes Paradise had about 24 billion litres of sewage and storm water runoff leak into it due to a gate being left open.
When Kristen Villebrun heard the City of Hamilton recently discovered sewage has been flowing into the harbour for the past 26 years, she was upset. Villebrun said she and other Indigenous water walkers have complained about sewage in the water there for years. "I'm sick of talking and it falling on deaf ears,"said Villebrun, an Anishinaabe woman who is also known as Wassode nibi kwe (Shining Water Woman).
For an Anishinaabe woman, water is life — and water had taken life away. “It was very emotional for me. I guess you can say I was a little bit angry at the water.” Then she realized that part of her healing journey must include this. She would organize Shining Water Paddle to bring prayers, offerings, blessings and songs to the water. They would honour the spirits, remember the ancestors and seek their guidance to protect this precious resource, this essence of First Nations peoples. It was time to make their voices heard — and for her to heal, too.
