Algonquin Water Blessing Ceremony

This beautiful, sacred ceremony was gifted to me at a Sisters of the Sacred Spiral gathering in Bouchette, Québec in 2002. It was brought to the gathering by 3 women representing the Kitigan-Zibi reserve with the understanding that once we were taught this ceremony, we would in turn teach it to as many women as we could. They in turn would teach it to as many women as they could. And on and on……

This ancient ceremony was lost over the years and after 150 years, it has returned to the people. Because of the nature of women, we are the keepers of the water and it is our responsibility to connect with the ceremonies to bless and purify the waters of Mother Earth.

The ceremony is pure and simple - A circle of women playing birch sticks (in honoring of the time before the drum came to the women) and singing the song. It is sung once in each of the 4 directions, above, below and finally within. A total of 7 times. It can be done at a riverbank, at the ocean, in the shower, doing dishes, in the rain…. wherever you can honor and bless and purify water. And of course, the 70% of our bodies that is water is also affected.

Now, every winter during the new moon of February, women gather universally to do this ceremony at the same time as one voice.

Next Nibi Wabo ceremony: February 21, 2012