Dr. Deb is the author of several reports on good governance, healing & wellness, life promotion and water teachings for Temagami First Nation, Ontario Federation of Indian Friendship Centres, Chiefs of Ontario, and the Barrie Area Native Advisory Circle.
(From Women and Water. Canadian Women's Studies Journal. Guest Editors: Kim Anderson, Brenda Cranney, Angela Miles, Wanda Nanibush and Paula Sherman. Inanna Publications and Education. Summer/Fall Vol. 30 No. 2, 3, 2015.)
Excerpt from Be the Water
I place my tobacco offering in the water
“What are you asking of me?”
We do not govern mother earth
She governs us
She teaches us how to care for her
When She is sick we must take care of her
Unconditional in her love for all of Creation
We must also be unconditional in our love for her
What we do to the water, we do to ourselves
We see our reflection in the water.
Water is a warrior
Life brought forth from the waters
of mother earth
of birth
the first tears
‘Man’-made dams and structures
stagnates her life-blood
Throws her off-balance
straining under the pressure.
We thirst from ‘Man’-made promises
of a good-life rooted in greed and economy
We destroy our past, our present and our future
Leaves us Thirsty
False promises replace
Creators promise
That water would always companion
To bring life
Be thankful
Be grateful
The way of the water teaches us
Love unconditional for all of life
For ourselves, for each other
The water inside of us
Speaks to the water outside of us
Reflects itself outward
What we do to the Water
We do to ourselves
Be the water...
Keeping water clean is the responsibility of everyone.