Who is a woman who’s made an impact on your life? Celebrating International Womens Day!
It is International Women's Day
Josephine Mandamin
Celebrating Josephine Henrietta Trudeau
February 21, 1942 Died February 22, 2019 (aged 77) Wikwemikong First Nation and Canada
Josephine Mandamin (Anishinaabemowin: Biidaasige-ba, "The one who comes with the light". Anishinaabe grandmother, elder and founding member of the water protectors movement.
A member of Wikwemikong First Nation, Mandamin was a survivor of the Canadian Indian residential school system and cofounder of the Mother Earth Water Walkers. During her 77 years, she walked about 25,000 miles around the shorelines of all the Great Lakes, and other waterways of North America, carrying a pail of water, to bring awareness to the need to protect the waters from pollution.
Early life
From 1948 to 1954 Josephine attended the St. Joseph' Residential School for Girls in Spanish, Ontario. Josephine moved to Thunder Bay in 1979. Throughout her career in Thunder Bay, she worked at Kashadaying residence and Mino Bimaadiziwin. She also served as executive director of Beendigen Inc. and Ontario Native Women's Association (ONWA). She retired in 2006.
The Water Walk Movement
The water walk movement began in 2003 after grandmother Josephine Mandamin became concerned over the pollution happening to the lakes and rivers across Turtle Island. Josephine was presented with a prophecy from an elder that in the year 2000 that warned that "water will cost as much as gold" by the year 2030. For the Anishinaabe, water is associated with Mother Earth and it is the responsibility of grandmothers to lead other women in praying for and protecting the water. After the initial walk around Lake Superior in 2003 which took her more than a month, the spring became the annual time for the walks to begin as it symbolizes re-growth and renewal of the earth. The work continues through a group called Nibi Emosaawdamajig (Those Who Walk for the Water), led by Shirley Williams and her niece Elizabeth Osawamick.
Josephine was the Chief Commissioner of the Anishinabek Nation Women's Water Walk Commission, a member of the Great Lakes Guardian Council. Since 2003, Josephine walked the shorelines of all the Great Lakes, around 17,000 miles (27200 km). Eventually, her total distance walked for the water was tallied at over 25,000 kilometers. She completed her last water walk in the summer of 2017.
The Water Walker (book)
A book called The Water Walker was written and illustrated by Joanne Robertson in 2017. It is available through Second Story Press. The book follows the story of Grandmother Josephine and her love for Nibi (Anishinaabemowin: "water"); it follows her walking journey with colourful illustrations and pronunciation guides for Anishinaabemowin words.
Later life and death
Following her retirement, Josephine returned to school in 2009. In 2013 Josephine graduated from Algoma University and Shingwauk Kinoomaage Gamig with a degree in Anishinaabemowin, Ojibwe Language. She was a fourth-degree member of the Midewiwin society and a member of its Grandmothers' Council.
Awards, recognition, and legacy
In 2012 Mandamin received the Anishinabek Nation Lifetime Achievement Award and in 2016 she received the Lieutenant Governor's Ontario Heritage Award for Excellence in Conservation.
On January 26, 2018, Josephine was awarded the Governor General's Meritorious Service Decoration in recognition for her contributions to Indigenous leadership and reconciliation.
She also received honours from the Native Women's Association of Canada and the Ontario Native Women's Association.
In 2019, the Great Lakes Guardian Council honored Mandamin's water protection work.
In 2019 The City of Thunder Bay recognized the work of Mandamin as part of Women's History Month.
In 2022, Sir John A. Macdonald Senior Public School in Brampton was renamed "Nibi Emosaawdang” (meaning water walker in English) in honour of Mandamin.
Autumn Peltier, Josephine Mandamin's grand-niece, was inspired to continue her aunt's work by becoming a water protector and advocate.
On June 13, 2024, Canada Post released a series of stamps titled "Indigenous Leaders". One of them is dedicated to Mandamin, marking her cultural contributions.
All References from: From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Josephiine is my Grandmother, mentor
By James B. Beard, Author
In 1999 I attended a Native American ceremony at Bad River, Wisconsin. It was the first ceremony I ever attended. I didn't know anyone and was not indigenous. Sitting at the Eastern Door of the lodge was a woman guiding entry into the lodge. Her name was Josephine. She invited me to help her watch the doorway during the ceremony from the outside. I was honored to have something to do.
Over the years I continued to attend these ceremonies. I always arrived a day early to help prepare the lodge and Josephine would always be the first one to arrive. I began to learn from her from the moment I met her until the time of her passing and we became very close.
Years later I wrote the book, "Walking Spirit in a Native Way ~ White Mocs on the Red Road". I shared the manuscript with several Elder's for approval of what I had written. After all, I was talking about things they had gifted to me. One of the Elders was Josephine Mandamin. She came to me a couple days after I gave her the manuscript and asked, "Did you put your head all the way under water to gather that stone?". I told her I had. She then told me that I needed to publish my book.
This woman, Josephine Mandamin has impacted the lives of countless people worldwide. She actually affected the well being of all life as an example of how to walk in a Spiritual way to honor the creation.
James Beard aka Noodin
Comments
Post a Comment