I want to extend my deepest thanks to the many volunteers, young and old, the H₂onour Earth staff and creative team, elders, artists, educators, principals, parents and the dedicated SAC supporters. I wish to thank Patterson Fardell who came to us, like a gift, and remained constant and supportive throughout the project.

Everyone involved gave generously from the heart to create the experience we call the Flowing Waters Ceremony 2003! It was a true labour of love and I sincerely hope the pleasure of joining together to honour the children was a rewarding one for each and every person involved.

2003 will long be remembered in Toronto's history as the year when numerous festivals, events and ventures were shutting down due to issues related to SARS, the return of SARS, TDSB work to rule, TCDSB school lockouts, parents concerns with West Nile Virus, and more. Flowing Waters, however, fought off these pressures, resolutely stayed its course and ultimately succeeded in bringing together over 200 children and 60 elders, artists, teachers, principals, parents and volunteers from across Southern Ontario.

This year we built upon the success of our inaugural celebration at Heart Lake. We increased our numbers of participating children and found a magical site at Snake Island on the Toronto Islands. We were blessed to begin our Native Teachings program with Plains Cree Grandmother Pauline Shirt joining with Ojibwe Grandmother Bahnii Kenny to travel to the schools and share the wisdom of the First Nation's relationship to Mother Earth, the water and the environment. Pauline spoke of her childhood and the powerful connection to the land around her, Bahnii sang out to the beat of her drum, the children joining in with full voice, bringing the words and teachings of her ancestors to life. Stories were told about the four birds whose feathers hang under the crystal vessel: the eagle, blue heron, seagull and pelican - each with their special relationship to water.

...as the children gather in the circle Bahnii tells them, " We are all the same in the circle, no one better or less than any other. Pass this talking stick and you will have all eyes focused on you, all ears listening to your words. She asks the children, "We are interested, we want to learn from you…tell us about yourself, what you know of your culture, your heritage. What does water mean to you, why is it so important that we care for this life giving element? We are listening to you and want to hear from you."

The talking stick moves around the circle, often received with slight embarrassment at the unusual attention being given each recipient. At times it is passed like the baton in a relay race, but mostly it moves with slow deliberation. Taking the stick, each child finds a moment to gather their thoughts by gently feeling the beadwork and preening its feather. And then the stories begin, often with downcast eyes as the words are found that express a unique response to the questions asked. As these children notice they are actually being heard, their voices and eyes raise to meet a roomful of others.

I was fortunate to join those circles and listened to our children's words: profound in their awareness of environmental degradation while meeting the issues with their simple wisdom and sensible solutions to the problems we all face. For many of them this was their first opportunity to dialogue with an Elder and to give voice to their concerns about water and the environment, and it marked the beginning of their journey into Flowing Waters 2003.

With the introduction of the in-school art programs: the Arc of Dreams and the Jump Right In! performances, the children were soon mixing it up with some of Canada's finest artists and performers. Music, song, dance, poetry, rap and wildly creative sculpture were all being produced in eager anticipation for the culminating celebration on the Toronto Islands.

This investment by the children into the various H₂onour Earth programs addresses the vital role that holistic education plays in spawning new and important ways of looking at the environment upon which we all depend. The benefits from holistic learning for our young are crucial to understanding the inter-connectedness of all living things - and what better way to celebrate their place in the web of life and share the fruits of their creative endeavors than at an overnight ceremony on the Toronto Islands!

On the morning of June 10th, they disembarked off the ferry in a Grand Procession with stiltwalkers leading the way and every class with an island name: Momado, Faila, Ohanah, Tencochtitlan, Crete, Devon, Roan Inish, Eastsiders and Turtle Island. Drumming and singing welcomed them as they spilled into the meadow and after a quickly eaten lunch and finding their tents, they flowed through all the on-site activities… crafting intricate mandalas with the Elders for the medicine wheel, constructing the Sacred Circle for the crystal vessel and uniting their water from across Southern Ontario. Dancing, drumming, singing and rapping onstage during the Jump Right In! performances, combining their earth-friendly artwork together to inspire the Arc of Dreams, learning from Joe Paquette about the sacred element of fire, washing their dishes after meals or just taking a moment to look past the pine trees on Snake Island as the sun slowly set against the skyline of Toronto… for those of us behind the scenes, the many months of preparation were finally realized: given life and set in motion by the children.

The performances and Arc of Dreams continued on Day Two, with more children adding artwork to the Sacred Circle. Over the two days, children filled two huge boards with coloured post-it notes, called the Cascade of Possibilities. Written were their personal thoughts on the environment and future, and throughout the morning, groups of children took the notes and gathered to review their experiences of the Flowing Waters Ceremony. They lay in the meadows, under the shady trees and composed three Declarations for a Sustainable Future, beautifully framed with twigs, flowers, feathers and grasses. After lunch was served and the tents packed up, Grandmother Bahnii's drum called everyone together to begin the From Seeds to Forests Closing Ceremony.

Everyone received a clay pot with an indigenous tree seed, nourished with the waters from the crystal vessel - to be taken home to sprout in the children's communities. While the waters were being recycled, the children read their three declarations. I would like to thank MPP Marilyn Churley, Principal Barbara Komorowski of Holy Angels Catholic School and Puck, members from our political, educational and native communities, for accepting these powerful symbols of the children's collective voice.

Earlier, I had chosen one poem from many that I saw on the Cascade of Possibilities, to read before everyone departed. But to my delight, young Evan from Lyndwood School, chosen as spokesperson for one declaration, had found the same poem, and instead he read it.

The World is a Song.
Each Species is a Note.
As the Notes are Taken Away,
The Song is Less Beautiful,
Until All there is,
Is Silence.

We were all deeply moved by the fiery determination and passion in Evan's voice. His eyes left the written page and he clearly spoke the truth from his heart, touching our own. He told us, in no uncertain terms, to understand that we all share a common humanity, and ultimately a common fate. Young and old alike, we cried, we cheered and shouted out because we felt the bond that had grown between us and to which Evan so eloquently spoke of.

The children's declarations, coming at the end of two full days of exploration, were their call to action. By their pronouncements we are all challenged to reshape our thinking, our behaviour and reconsider our actions, to choose what is right and to put a stop to species loss and global environmental destruction.

For many of us present, the Children's Declarations captured and distilled the many experiences of Flowing Waters 2003: the coming together of our young, so that they form a collective voice, share their creative passions and build their skills to manifest a vision that fully supports them as they journey through life. This remains the essence of the Flowing Waters Ceremony.

It is our joy and privilege to participate in their growth.

In doing so, we grow ourselves.

Neil Clifford

Founder, H₂onour Earth
Artistic Director, Flowing Waters Ceremony

Special Thanks to the participating children, teachers, principals and parents from :

• Brant Township Central Public School
• Holy Angels Separate School
• Toronto First Nations School
• Lloyd S. King Public School
• Burlington Homeschooling Association
• Toronto Alliance Of Parent Educators
• St. Joseph Separate School
• Lyndwood Public School

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