This Anishinaabe ceremony calls for perseverance in connecting with the water, giving hope for healing the polluted water of Hamilton Harbour
The Hamilton Water Walk is a four-year Anishinaabe ceremony that inspires participants to connect with a body of water, in this case the Hamilton Harbour and Cootes Paradise. Once a year during the cycle, a multi-day walk around the body of water begins at daybreak and concludes when the whole of the body of water have been encircled.
This year, the Hamilton Water Walk completed its second cycle on Oct. 12 and Oct. 13. Throughout the two days, a sacred fire was kept ablaze at Princess Point while participants walked around the perimeter of the harbour. To commemorate the end of the ceremony, a feast was held at Princess Point.
The water walk ceremony was developed by Josephine Mandamin in 2003 for the Great Lakes. Mandamin, an Anishinaabe elder, was a water activist famous for walking around the entirety of the Great Lakes starting from the Wikwemikong First Nation in Ontario.
Danielle Boissoneau, who has had the teachings of Mandamin passed to her, is a McMaster alumna and an organizer of the Hamilton Water Walk. She cites the connection that Indigenous women have with the water as a motivation for the ceremony. "Indigenous women, particularly, have a very close relationship with the land and the water in terms of observation and relationships and experiences," said Boissoneau.
Indigenous women, particularly, have a very close relationship with the land and the water in terms of observation and relationships and experiences.
Danielle Boissoneau, organizer
Hamilton Water Walk
The first cycle of the annual water walk around Hamilton Harbour began in 2017. Boissoneau explained how the walk came to be in Hamilton with her fellow activist Kristen Villebrun. "Kristen was able to determine that something was wrong with the water in the harbor because of the amount of human waste that she was seeing on the shorelines," said Boissoneau.
Boissoneau shared that she and Villebrun wanted a way to draw attention to this issue that would disrupt people's everyday lives. "Historically that would have been through protests, rallies or marches and at that point in time Grandma Josephine Mandamin started to do water walks, she inspired me so greatly because she was so peaceful, so determined, but she was still making such a huge presence," said Boissoneau.
The second cycle was initiated in response to information about the water quality of Hamilton Harbour that was reported by a 2019 article by The Hamilton Spectator. The piece exposed a four-year cover up of 24 billion litres of human waste being leaked into Chedoke Creek and Cootes Paradise over that period of time. This news incited Boissoneau and the other organizers to begin the second water walk, this time around Cootes Paradise in addition to the Hamilton Harbour.
Boissoneau outlined her frustration with the increased development around the harbour and its effect on the ceremony. "There's not much to see and be grateful for because of the amount of destruction and the industry. Around Burlington side, you just see country clubs and golf courses. Both of these things stand in the way of us getting close to the water, and our ability to maintain our focus, a huge part of our ceremony," said Boissoneau.
There's not much to see and be grateful for because of the amount of destruction and the industry. Around Burlington side, you just see country clubs and golf courses. Both of these things stand in the way of us getting close to the water, and our ability to maintain our focus, a huge part of our ceremony.
Danielle Boissoneau, organizer
Hamilton Water Walk
Boissoneau added that the water walks and their work are not complete. "The situation in the harbour is not getting better, there's still sewage being leaked, especially when it rains a lot. I don't believe that the wastewater system that Hamilton has is equipped to deal with the population or the industry that it currently has," said Boissoneau.
Boissoneau encourages anyone to make a connection with the water and give offerings through one's presence. "It doesn't need to be this gigantic ceremony for you to go down and make a relationship with the water and make your own offerings for the water. Just let the water know that you're there," said Boissoneau.
It doesn't need to be this gigantic ceremony for you to go down and make a relationship with the water and make your own offerings for the water. Just let the water know that you're there.
Danielle Boissoneau, organizer
Hamilton Water Walk
The importance of making a personal, individual connection with the water was emphasized by Boissoneau. She emphasized that the work is not finished and that a third cycle of water walks is likely.
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Discover a new favourite book with Pickwick Books’ new book boxes
I’ll admit I love Chapters as much as the next person, but it’s also crucial to support local booksellers and used book stores during a time where all local businesses have been disproportionately affected by provincial guidelines and restrictions due to COVID-19. Buying used books is also a more sustainable and cost-effective way of shopping on a student budget. Furthermore, buying locally is a way to give back to the Hamilton community. Located in Waterdown, Pickwick Books’ new book box service makes buying used easier than ever.
Pickwick Books first opened in Waterdown in 1995, though Cheryl Kaufman became the owner of Pickwick’s after the building caught her eye on a drive through Waterdown in 2016. She bought the store when its previous owners were looking to move on from the business and since then, she has run the small used bookstore carrying over 30,000 titles of every genre.
Pickwick Books’ newest feature, used book boxes, came about in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Book boxes are a trend initiated by larger companies including Book of the Month and Raven Reads, now carried on by Pickwick’s for a more sustainable and local take on the trend.
“Being a used bookstore, I just never knew what my inventory was — it was constantly changing. When COVID hit, we had to close down and I was trying to think of online options for people. I thought the best way to do it was to do book boxes where they can choose genres, but then I choose the books for them,” said Kaufman.
The book boxes come in three sizes: two, four or six books in a mix of paperback and hardcover at a discounted rate. Regardless of where you are located within Canada, the boxes ship on a one-time or recurring basis so you can support the local business from a distance.
Though the boxes are curated with a selection of high-quality used books, they can also be personalized to specific genres and preferences.
“[Choosing the books] is the most fun for me. If someone says ‘surprise me’, I try and choose at least a variety of genres. If they tell me they like certain authors, I always select authors that are similar. I select books that I've enjoyed and that I know my customers have recommended. The fun part for me is going through the shop and pulling all the different varieties out for people,” said Kaufman.
“[Choosing the books] is the most fun for me. If someone says ‘surprise me’, I try and choose at least a variety of genres. If they tell me they like certain authors, I always select authors that are similar. I select books that I've enjoyed and that I know my customers have recommended. The fun part for me is going through the shop and pulling all the different varieties out for people.”
Cheryl Kaufman, Owner of Pickwick Books
Though they come as a bit of a mystery, the curated titles are a way to step out of your reading comfort zone with books of every genre and style.
“It's a nice surprise as you try new authors and even try new genres that you wouldn't normally try,” said Kaufman.
Buying used books not only supports the local business, but is also a more sustainable way to shop for books. Book manufacturing is an environmentally taxing process through production of pulp and paper. Old books often tend to be thrown out or recycled rather than reused and passed on for more readers to enjoy, making buying used a great option for extending the life cycle of a book.
On a student budget, stocking your shelves through Pickwick Books is an affordable, sustainable option for finding your new favourite reads. With a unique, custom-curated selection of books in every box, dare to try something new while supporting local.
WHAT IS IT
Gold Bars Dessert is a travelling dessert shop that opened in March 2020. From butter tart bars to brownies, the shop specializes in dessert bars. Gold Bars Dessert offers holiday-themed bars and uses seasonal ingredients.
They offered Easter egg brownies around Easter, peach cobbler bars during Ontario’s peach season in August, pumpkin spice bars in October and are currently selling holiday cranberry bars and candy crunch brownies for the holiday season.
Gold Bars Dessert has also partnered with the Hamilton-based specialty coffee company Detour Coffee to offer their whole beans. Gold Bars sells espresso and medium roast, which were handpicked to pair with their dessert bars.
The dessert business combines owner Germaine Collins’ love of adventure with her love of sweets. The adventure lover has created a business that allows her to travel and connect to people through food.
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HOW TO GET IT
While the shop doesn’t have a brick-and-mortar location, they frequent farmers’ markets and host pop-up shops. In the summer and early fall of 2020, Gold Bars Desserts was a weekly vendor at Connon Nurseries’ Fall Farmers’ Market in Waterdown. They also did a Christmas pop-up at Connon Nurseries on Nov. 28. Check their website and social media to find out where they’ll be next.
When they are not at a market, Gold Bars dessert does local doorstep drop-offs. If you’re located in the Greater Hamilton area, Burlington, Oakville, Mississauga or Toronto, you can order online for next-weekend delivery. The delivery days are announced on their website and on their social media.
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THE COST
At markets, you can buy individual bars for $3. For doorstep drop-offs, Gold Bars Desserts sells the boxes of bars on their website. A box of nine bars is $20 to $25 depending on the type. Each bar is about the size of a coaster. The delivery is an additional $5.
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WHAT TO GET
You really can’t go wrong with any of these dessert bars. They’re all decadent, filling and beautifully decorated. I would definitely recommend the OG brownie if you’re a chocolate fan because even after a couple of days, the brownie is still moist and rich inside. If you’re not a chocolate fan, I’d recommend the blondies or lemon bars.
If there is a seasonal dessert bar when you’re looking to purchase, definitely try that. I tried the cranberry holiday bars and it gave Starbucks’ cranberry bliss bars a run for its money.
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WHY IT'S GREAT
Gold Bars Desserts is perfect for the sweet tooth who adores a large, classic brownie or dessert bar. The variety of flavours and the seasonal creations make it an exciting business to visit month after month.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, it is the perfect way to support a small business and satisfy your sweet tooth without having to leave your house. Having Collins visit my house on a Sunday afternoon to deliver me handmade sweets was the highlight of my weekend. With the pretty packaging and Collins’ handwritten notes, Gold Bars Dessert bars make the perfect gift for your loved ones.
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