Rebel Girls Climate Warriors: 25 Tales of Women Who Protect the Earth

Rebel Girls Climate Warriors: 25 Tales of Women Who Protect the Earth — page 9
AUTUMN PELTIER CLEAN WATER ACTIVIST Once upon a time there was a girl who believed that all water was sacred Her name was Autumn and she was born in the Wikwemikong Unceded Indian Reserve on Manitoulin Island Canada Autumn loved being silly making slime with her sister and texting with friends But she was very serious about protecting the water people drink and the water that nourishes animals and plants and allows trees to grow tall Growing up in the Ojibwe Odawa heritage Autumn began performing water ceremonies when she was very little She would walk through fierce winter winds with her elders and kneel on a frozen lake She'd make a hole in the ice and dip in a special copper cup scooping out water and chanting a prayer of protection When Autumn was eight years old she attended a water ceremony Signs all over read DON'T DRINK THE WATER She learned that underground pipelines had contaminated the water It broke her heart In 2016 Autumn was chosen to present the Canadian prime minister with a special gift at an annual gathering for the First Nations With thousands of eyes watching she took a deep breath and handed him a copper water bowl Then she said I am very unhappy with the choices you've made She told him that he was hurting her people by allowing pipelines to pollute their water The crowd was shocked and inspired and the prime minister promised to help Since that day Autumn has traveled around the world raising her voice and demanding that leaders respect and protect our waters As she says Water is everything It's the lifeblood of Mother Earth BORN SEPTEMBER 27 2004 CANADA 10