Sandy Spieler

Video by Mike Rivard

We pray for a foundation of reverence and gratitude for Water as we face the complex issues of Water at the core of many challenging environmental and human rights situations. It is possible that the peace of this century will be waged by the way we share and protect the Water.

What we give to the Water, the Water gives to us. We Are Water.

The parade is a feast – of turtles, dragons, babies, lillies, pipes, oh such long pipes, plastic bottled monsters, and a huge river body shared by so many people pouring water (cloth ‘water’) from bowl to bowl.

For the Ceremony, the Tree of Life Puppet burns to the ground as Native singers sing honor songs to the Water. People and Animals stream out from the audience to sit in silence together, facing the water. One person rises and walks into the water until he is totally submerged. He returns as a turtle who offers its shell as a bowl for the healing/sharing of the water.

Thanks to the Ceremony crafting team: Julie Boada, Paul Johnson, Jim Koplin, Esther Ouray, Sandy Spieler, Leslie Zenz, and other Mayday staff artists: Soozin Hirschmugl, Daniel Polnau, Mark Safford, Bart Buch, Lindsay McCaw, Anne Sawyer-Aitch, Ramon Cordes, Masanari Kawahara, Julian McFaul, Kevin Long, Duane Tougas, Gustavo Boada, Malia Burkhart, Tina Nemetz, George Meyer, and Newman Family group.