The Auntie Who Walked

This week’s card set follows the inheritance behind Autumn Peltier’s water work: Josephine Mandamin, the Anishinaabe elder known as Grandmother Water Walker, and the role Autumn accepted after Josephine’s passing.

Josephine Mandamin was Autumn Peltier’s great-aunt and mentor. In 2019, Autumn accepted a Water Warrior Award alongside Josephine’s memory and said: "She inspired a lot of people, and she inspired me." 1

CBC reported that Josephine co-founded Mother Earth Water Walk in 2003 and eventually circled the shores of all five Great Lakes, more than 17,000 km in total. 2 The Mother Earth Water Walk site also records that she began by leading walks around all five Great Lakes after becoming alarmed by changes to Lake Huron’s water quality. 3

"Josephine is the reason I do this work," Autumn told CBC in 2019. In the same interview, she explained the teaching plainly: "In my teachings, in my way, water has a spirit. And water is alive." 1

In April 2019, Autumn Peltier was named Chief Water Commissioner by the Anishinabek Nation at age 14. CBC described the Nation as representing 40 First Nations across Ontario. Autumn said she would continue Josephine’s work: "I’m going to carry on her work until we don’t have to anymore." 4

Sources were selected from CBC, Anishinabek News, Mother Earth Water Walk, CIWEM, and Speakers Canada. Direct quotes above are attributed with outlet and year in the card copy or caption.