Clean Water, Wild Places: 3 public forums in April & May
[L-R: Guy Reiter of the Menominee Indian Tribe, Jud Sojourn, Ph.D. of Center for Native American Studies at NMU. Kathleen Heideman of the U.P. Environmental Coalition, Al Gedicks of the Wisconsin Resources Protection Council]
A local environmentalist group, The Interfaith Northern Great Lakes Water Stewards, is holding three public forums called “Clean Water, Wild Places” regarding the Back Forty project, a sulfide mining project in the Western Upper Peninsula.
“The Northern Great Lakes Water Stewards are an interfaith initiative to establish a collaborative partnership to monitor, restore, protect, and sanctify the waters of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula,” says Jordan Mattarella of the Interfaith Water Stewards. “As a faith-based movement, our vision is that the earth, our water, our air are Divine gifts. We remind one another, through prayers and rituals, that we are all only guests here. We believe we are called to be stewards and custodians what we have been given.”
Presentations will incorporate Indigenous environmentalism themes taught in Native American Studies curriculum. The local water stewards asked NMU’s Center for Native American Studies (CNAS) to host presentations on Friday, April 12 at Northern Michigan University and Messiah Lutheran Church. The event, co-sponsored by CNAS includes a short introduction presentation by professor, Jud Sojourn, Ph.D., who will focus on an Indigenous perspective on the topic of water protection, similar to information taught in NAS courses.
Interchanging Anishinaanabemown (Ojibwe language) and zhaaganaashiimowin (English), Sojourn said, “Ganabaj nibi’manidoo ayaang inendamowin. Gonimaa nibi’manidoo bimiwinaad aadizookana’. Gimiskwew’inaan yaad ziitaagani’nibi gidayaami aki. Gishpin shakamikwe mashkawiziid gimashkawziimi Giishpin washegaming gwayakwaadizimin.”
“Maybe water has thought emotion,” says Sojourn. “And maybe it carries living stories. As all of our blood is salt water, we are the Earth. If she is strong, we are strong. If the water is clear, we are as we should be.”
Three other presenters will focus on grassroots efforts to help regulate, monitor, and protect the Great Lakes. Guy Reiter of the Menominee Indian Tribe, Kathleen Heideman of the U.P. Environmental Coalition, and activist Al Gedicks of the Wisconsin Resources Protection Council will speak Friday afternoon in Jamrich Hall, in room 1320 from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sojourn, Ph.D. will provide introductions.
The Center for Native American Studies at NMU touches on similar topics in four ‘Environment & Ways of Being’ courses.
- NAS 240 Sacred Ground: Native Peoples and Mother Earth
- NAS 340 Kinomaage: Earth Shows Us the Way
- NAS 342 Indigenous Environmental Movements
- NAS 440 Awesiinh: Wild Animal Relations
All NAS courses, including introduction Native American Experience courses, incorporate lessons around humanity’s relationship with water and nature. Current events, classroom discussion and political discourse often explore treaty violations of North American oil and mining companies.
Aquila Resources recently proposed an open-pit sulfide mine on the Wisconsin-Michigan border, known as the Back Forty project. Just as activists and members Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC) did for over a decade during the start-up of Eagle Mine, once again community members are arousing public awareness of the adverse effects of sulfide mining, now specifically focusing on Aquila Resources’ controversial project near the Menominee River. KBIC has long argued Eagle Mine lies on the Sacred Eagle rock, where tribal members pilgrimage to fast and pray.
“A central focus of the Interfaith Water Stewards Initiative is to deepen a moral and spiritual consciousness about our Mother Earth,” said Mattarella. “The EPA recently stated that the Northern Great Lakes Basin is currently one of the most intensely explored places on the planet for mineral exploitation. The health of the population and the natural resources here will be impacted for hundreds of years with the consequences of new mining operations.”
Mattarella said the event will also focus on sulfide mining because “the long-term consequences of this specific type of mining activity are enormous. Water contamination and significant environmental damage needs to be carefully weighed against the promise of short-term profits.” “Clean Water / Wild Places” will present the dangers of sulfide mines, and the consequences it can have on the environment and water.
An evening presentation the Messiah Lutheran Church with music by Michael Waite and Friends begins on April 12 at 7 p.m. Aquila Resources and Eagle Mine have been given invitations to present information about standards, policies and regulation for responsible mining next month on Friday, May 24 at 7 p.m. at Messiah Lutheran.
According to Sojourn, anyone can be a water protector by participating in direct action, participating in cleanups, and drafting and promoting legislation that protects water. To view all 26 steps Sojourn download the the pdf here.
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More information about the Water Stewards can be found at cedartreeinstitute.org/water-stewards or by contacting Jordan Mattarella at jmattare@nmu.edu or (231) 709-3001.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
- Friday April 12, 2019 – 1 p.m. Clean Water / Wild Places (NMU)
Jamrich Hall, Room 1320 – Northern Michigan University - Friday April 12, 2019 – 7 p.m. Clean Water / Wild Places (I)
Messiah Lutheran Church 305 W Magnetic St., Marquette - Friday, May 24, 2019 – 7 p.m. Clean Water / Wild Places (II)
Messiah Lutheran Church 305 W Magnetic St., Marquette
Invitation to Aquila Resources and Eagle Mine
The Northern Great Lakes Interfaith Water Stewards include representatives from Lutheran (ELCA), Buddhist, Episcopal, Presbyterian, Methodist, Jewish, and Roman Catholic traditions. The events are made possible by the Interfaith Northern Great Lakes Stewards, the Episcopal Diocese of Northern Michigan, the NGLS Lutheran Synod (ELCA), and the Lake Superior Zendo Buddhists in collaboration with The Cedar Tree Institute and the Center for Native American Studies at Northern Michigan University.
