...Water Is Our Life...

Water is our life. Water is the reflection of our spirit, who and what we are. Water is the depth of our emotions, the unity of All That Is.

We are of it, born in it, reborn with it and are called to be in gratitude for it. Climate change has drastically changed weather and water flow patterns. Modern life, urbanization (suburbanization, too) and capitalist industry and development have overused and abused water "resources" i...n very drastic ways. Western lifestyles use much more water per person than in many of the so-called "developing" countries combined. Visionary filmmakers like Wanuri Kahiu ("PUMZI") warn us of the damaging effects of our estranged relationships to our traditional sacred relationships with water. Documentaries like "Thirst" and "FLOW" call us to ever higher levels of consciousness and political and social and personal action to protect water, water rights and our universal, non-commercialized access to it. Indigenous people worldwide have sounded a call for us to rededicate our lives to this precious life-giving element.

I invite you to join with us in our efforts to give a deep and abiding gratitude to the element and Spirit of water as we try to manage our lives in this fiery, commodified culture here on Turtle Island (North America). It is a simple, but important and necessary act.



Water is our life.









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This was written as an introduction to the Gatherings of Gratitude, which commenced in summer of 2010 as a regular way of giving thanks and energetic reciprocity to Spirit in Nature, to support the balance of the Naturo-Spiritual (Human) Dynamic. In many, if not all indigenous societies, reciprocity with Spirit as expressed in nature was a key element in their cultural practice, not only sustaining balance in their relationship with Spirit, but also the human consciousness and practice of the necessity of living in close and intimate harmony with nature, maintaining that essential familial bond with that from which all things come, All That Is.

In the Dagara tribal cultural tradition, as passed on to us in the "west" by Malidoma Some', 2011 is a year of Kuon, Spirit of Water. The Gatherings of Gratitude, that are held in the Boston area, will be held at water locations in public, accessible places to continue the indigenous tradition of reciprocity in the interest of giving a new foundation to that essential intimate, familial relationship with Spirit and nature that modern, capitalist-industrial cultural practice has all, but destroyed.

All are invited to attend and participate at the Gatherings of Gratitude. More information can be found at www.ukumbwa.com (click the "Gratitude" link at the top of the page or on Ukumbwa Sauti's facebook "Events" page. Please contact him at rohoyamto@earthlink.net for more information.