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September 23, 2026
Miskwaagamiiwi-ziibi Water Walk
The Miskwaagamiiwi-ziibi Water Walk will take place on September 23, 2026. The walk will begin at sunrise (7:15 am) with an opening ceremony at the Southwood Circle Dock. We will walk approximately 30 km to the Main Street Boat Launch.
Please see the map of the route here: https://arcg.is/05ObW52 Once the walk begins, this map will show our location in real time.
Water Walks are based in Anishinaabe Ceremonial Water Teachings. We walk to honour all Nibi (water) and to share our good words, prayers, songs and intentions with the water spirits so that there will be healthy rivers, lakes and oceans for our ancestors and the generations to come. Grandmother Lucy Ducharme, who participates with both Three Fires Lodge and Minweyweywiigaan Lodge, will lead our water walk based on the teachings she received in the Three Fires Midewiwin by Bawdwaywidun-ibun.
Please see our Resource Guide: Water Walks for more information about water walks!
Core Walkers and Eagle Staff Carriers will lead our walk. The core walkers and eagle staff carriers will take turns walking 5 kilometres each.
Community Walkers are invited to walk behind the core walkers and take part in the morning and evening ceremonies. They can walk for a short distance or for the whole day if they wish. Community walkers should be self-sufficient: bring food and water, arrange your own transportation, and be sure to walk a distance that you are physically capable of walking safely. First Aid will be available but community walkers participate at their own risk.
Community Walkers Checklist
- Good walking shoes
- An extra pair of socks
- Water
- Umbrella or raincoat
- Sunscreen
- Bug repellent
- Snacks and food to keep you going
- Love for the water
Water Walk Protocols
- All genders and Nations are invited to participate in the Water Walk.
- Out of respect for Anishinaabe ceremonial traditions, we invite women-identifying folks to wear long skirts and men-identifying folks to wear long pants if able.
- Please do not bring your pets! Service dogs are welcome to walk beside their humans.
- Be mindful that we are walking in ceremony for the water. Songs and prayers for the water are welcomed as we walk. Please do not use foul or angry language.
- We ask that all walkers carry organic tobacco and be ready to offer tobacco to the creeks and rivers as we walk by. If you do not have tobacco, we will have some to share.
- The women will carry the water and the men will carry the eagle staff. If no men are present, the grandmothers may carry the eagle staff. These two people will lead the group at all times—with the rest following respectfully behind.
- We take frequent turns carrying the water and staff. Experienced walkers will be there to facilitate these hand-offs.
- As with all ceremonies, this is a drug and alcohol-free event. Please come sober and with an open heart and mind.
- We ask that you please not take photos or recordings during ceremonial times and/or when medicines are used for cleansing/smudging.
- We will be walking through many different places and will be respectful of people we might encounter and their homes, whether they are houses or encampments.
Safety
- We will have a bus going ahead of the walk, where First Aid will be available to all walkers, and emergency food and washroom.
- We walk together as a group. Please stick together!
- We will walk on sidewalks and trails along the river. Please be aware of uneven surfaces and roots when on trails.
- We will have safety patrols to assist with street crossings. Please follow their guidance.
- Children of walking age are welcome but must be accompanied by a guardian.
- We ask that you do not bring bikes or skateboards.
- Our core walkers and eagle staff carriers will be in the front wearing orange vests.
- Water walk volunteers will also be wearing orange vests and will be among the participants and the last ones in our procession. Please contact them if you need anything.
- We welcome any questions you might have. We are all here to support each other.
Schools
We welcome students of all ages to join the water walk. We invite you to consider whether your students are committed to following the walk protocols of speaking good words and prayers to the water, singing songs to the water, and focusing on their awareness of and love for the water. Please review the protocols with students and use some of the resources provided on our website to prepare them for the walk. Schools are responsible for the supervision of their students at all times and for providing their own food and water.
If you would like to participate with a group of students, please contact sarah.deckert@umanitoba.ca.
Please note that we plan to film and/or photograph this event.
If you are unable to join the walk but would like to be involved:
- See our Resource Guide for ideas and resources to use in your classroom.
- If your school is close to the walk route, hand out water and snacks to walkers.
- Follow the walk on the map provided on our website and engage in water-themed activities throughout the day.
If you have any questions, please contact Sarah Deckert, Just Waters Project & Knowledge Mobilization Coordinator: sarah.deckert@umanitoba.ca, 204-914-4482.
Lucy Ducharme is an Ojibway Anishinaabe mother of five and grandmother of eleven. Lucy grew up in northwestern Manitoba and has spent the last 48 plus years learning and participating in traditional Midewiwin ceremonies. She has been recognized as one of the grandmothers whose role is to stand up for and speak on the sacredness of our waters.
She recently retired after almost 30 years working in child welfare, from front line to the Program Manager, in the community of Roseau River First Nation in southern Manitoba, where her children are registered to. Even though Lucy is retired she remains active in promoting wellness, not only in our Indigenous community but with all communities. Lucy currently resides in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Jason Parenteau is a Lenape man born in Vancouver and he is a member of the Moravian of the Thames Delaware Nation. Jason is a respected and recognized member of the Indigenous community in Winnipeg and in Manitoba. He has worked with Manitoba Justice and Dakota Ojibwe Child and Family Services providing culturally appropriate services. He founded the Roseau River Jiu Jitsu Club and he operates Miikwan Consulting & Indigenous Education (miikwan.ca).
We express our gratitude to other water walk organizers and acknowledge that we used their protocol documents as sources:
Nibi Emosaawdamajig / Those Who Walk for the Water
