On Tuesday, July 11th, 2017, the Akwesasne community along with the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne and the Native North American Travelling College welcomed a group of walkers and canoers, who are raising awareness for river and water protection by walking around the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River. This is the 14th journey for some, like Josephine Mandamin, founder of the Mother Earth Water Walk. Josephine along with others, began their journey in Minnesota with relay style walking and a caravan of vehicles following them and giving them a place to rest. The group made their way through Akwesasne on Tuesday July 11th and were welcomed at the Ontario Power Generation Center in Cornwall, ON.

When the Water Walkers arrived they were greeted with open arms and hospitality Akwesasne shows to its welcomed guests. While everyone was greeted and fed, the Water Walkers were asked questions of their journey so far. Josephine was too tired to get up and speak, so one of her fellow Water Walkers spoke to everyone of their journey. Stating they began their journey on April 20th at Spirit Mountain, Minnesota. They carry a copper pail of water, which reacts to its environment and people around it.

Mandamin states "As women, we are carriers of the water. 'We carry life for the people'. So when we carry that water, we are telling people that we will go any lengths for the water. We'll probably even give our lives for the water if we have to. We may at some point have to die for the water, and we don't want that."

The Water Walkers have not always been welcomed to the towns and cities surrounding the water, even travelling at night time to avoid confrontation. They have come a long way, but they still have a ways to go. The Water walkers expect to be finished with their journey by the end of July. They have been joined by Edward George and his group of canoers, who go by, "Picking Up the Bundles Canoe Journey". The two groups have the same purpose and mission in mind. They have two different ways of travelling the waters, but the two groups are both there to protect the water.

When Kenny Perkins and the NNATC troupe listened to the group's stories and experiences, they felt it was necessary to take some of the negativity away from them and in doing so renewed their energy to finish the rest of their journey. Kenny Perkins spoke of the Edge of the Woods ceremony and why it was conducted. He did not conduct the ceremony but just by explaining its process to the two groups their spirits were lifted.

Women dancing to the Women's Dance as part of the welcoming of the Water Walkers journey.

The NNATC singing troupe sang the most beautiful song and asked the visitors to close their eyes and let go of all the negativity, which they did. To some it might not have seemed like much, but to the Water Walkers and canoers, it meant a lot. They were very moved by the words that were spoken and the song that was sung.

After everything was said, Tina Square from NNATC spoke of the Women's Dance and why it is done. The NNATC singers sang the women's dance, while Tina showed the visitors how to do the women's shuffle. It turned out to be a very uplifting welcome and everyone left with their spirits lifted and the determination needed to continue on their journey.