Trekking the Great Lakes on foot to raise awareness about water pollutants
CBC News | Posted: June 15, 2017 4:00 AM | Last Updated: June 15, 2017
Anishinawbe grandmother makes final marathon water walk
Josephine Mandamin has walked thousands of kilometres every year along the shorelines of many of North America's lakes and rivers to demonstrate the importance of protecting water resources.
She is one of two Anishinawbe grandmothers who have walked around every single Great Lake, along the St. Lawrence River and many other areas that were traditional First Nation territory, since starting the marathon walks back in 2003.
The first year started with a trek around Lake Superior. The two women wanted to raise awareness about how water was becoming more and more polluted.
"We're trying to raise awareness of the waters are protected, so people can protect the water in their areas," Mandamin told CBC News, during an interview Wednesday.
The second year, they walked around Lake Michigan. Then came Lake Huron in 2005, followed by Lake Ontario and Lake Erie.
This year, Mandamin is doing her final water walk, a more than 8,000-kilometre trek that stretches from Spirit Mountain in Duluth, Minn. to Matane, Que.
"It's really been the best that I've ever experienced because of the support from people," she said of the greetings she's been receiving along the way.
The annual Women's Water Walk is chosen for Spring because it's believed to be a time for renewal, re-growth and re-birth.