Source Water Protection

Introduction

In our Ojibwe culture, nibi (water) is sacred, considered to be a living and moving being. Water is life that carries stories and connection; it is the center of all things and is a part of traditional Ojibwe creation stories where Turtle Island was created from a large flooding event that purified the Earth.

Water being symbolic in this event to wash away the damage that had taken place though mans greed.

In our Anishinaabe culture (the original people) carry many teachings about how to live with purpose and in harmony alongside all living and nonliving beings. Gitchi Manitou, “The Creator” gifted each of his creation with unique, spiritual gifts to be the guardians of his creation. It is through the gifting that we carry as Anishinaabe people our strengths in our animal clan systems, which is the establishment of our leadership roles.

Gitchi Manitou, The Creator taught us as a part of his creation to care for humankind, teaching lessons about respecting nature and not to use it to attain selfish desires. He taught us how to be teachable and to care for one another in a good way, honoring the reciprocal relationship that exists between all things. Many of his teachings he uses animals both on land and in water.

Since the beginning of time, our Ojibwe Ancestors, originally from the East Coast of Turtle Island, followed lakes, rivers, and streams that guided their survival. Our Ancestors had heard of the “sacred food that grows on water”. This discovery started the migration of our Ojibway ancestors travelling westward. Over many generations of travelling, they had seven major mitigation stops along what is known today as the Great Lakes. Wild rice (manoomin) was the food that brought our Ojibway people to Gichigamiing, which means “the great water”. Gichi Gumme (Lake Superior) is where the final stop of the migration occurred at Madeline Island (Mooningwaanikaaning). It is at the tip of Lake Superior that RRIB is located, our community, Lake Helen 53A, First Nation Reserve. The water shed consists of the entire Lake Superior/Lake Nipigon watershed.

Protecting the waters surrounding our community at Lake Helen First Nation (LHFN) is critical for the physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being of the community.

SOURCE WATER PROTECTION PLAN

The chief and council in our community had heard of other First Nations hiring a source water protection coordinator.

Lake Helen has hired a Source Water Protection Coordinator (SWPC) to collect environmental data and hold meetings to engage and educate the community.

Gathering the knowledge of the water ways was critical to understanding what the threats are and how to prevent them. The SWPC was able to form a committee that would have valuable insight and help form a realistic, implemented source water protection plan. The committee consists of five members.

Members:

Allen Odawa – Chief (prior to being chief in our community, Allen Odawa was a water plant operator who also taught courses regarding the multi – barrier approach).
James Haskell – water plant operator
Pierre Dupuie – water plant operator
Dave Traintinger – water plant operator
Meagan Lemieux– source water protection coordinator & water plant operator

The members of the committee all have a strong knowledge of the waterways since they are water plant operators. Their every day job is to apply the “multi – barrier approach” for this reason the committee was formed to be able to implement a source water protection plan from source to tap. The committee meets once a month for meetings to assess what their goals are and how to attain them.

The committee has started implementing a source water protection plan by making an inhouse list of threats and how to prevent/manage them.