Water is one of the most sacred things we have as First Nations people. It’s part of every ceremony we do—it’s the front line.
My grandfather once told me, “one of these days that water is going to be worth more than gold”. This was prophesied. Looking throughout the world, water is becoming scarcer and more contaminated. This was a sad prophecy because they knew that things were going to become harder for their grandchildren and the generations to come.
The Japanese author Masura Emoto, showed that water crystallized differently when negative thoughts and words were directed towards it compared to when positives were given. Negativity brought on cloudiness and positivity brought on beautiful crystallization. Our bodies are made up of water, the same as Mother Earth. Emoto confirmed something that we First Nations people have known for a very long time—that water is sacred.
When you put good thoughts and prayers into your body, you are making yourself more positive and the water is clear. There are songs that are used to turn bad water to good. If a lake was contaminated, we would give good thoughts and prayers to bring it back again.
This is the same thing with our own bodies. You can change things from bad to good through prayer and thought process.
Our ceremonies are past down from generation to generation and of them, water is always in front. And though the world sees its challenges, we continue to do these ceremonies–to pray, to put our faith in the Chunupa (the sacred pipe), to put our faith in the Creator. In our sweat ceremonies, we are pushing that negative out of ourselves and filling our spirit with prayer. Making ourselves stronger, purifying the mind, body, and spirit.
Mankind’s attitude and respect for this precious resource has to change. There is no time like the present. Our thoughts and prayers are needed now.
Mitakuye Oyasin. All my relations.
