Menominee River Water Walk
Begins at Keshena Falls located in Keshena, Menominee Nation, Wisconsin
A. Keshena, WI
B. Oconto Falls, WI, United States
C. 181-199 1st St, Menominee, MI 49858, USA
D. Shakey Lakes Park
E. N River Rd, Stephenson, MI 49887, USA
Walk will end at the proposed site of the Back Forty Mine, N River Rd, Stephenson, MI 49887
Water Walk will be led by Grandmother Josephine Mandamin, along with other spiritual elders of the Menominee Nation.
WHY THIS WALK?
In November 2015, Menominee tribal members, members from other tribes, school children and other supporters gathered at the mouth of the Menominee River, which is also known as the birthplace of the Menominee people. For the first time in hundreds of years, and through Ceremony, prayer and song, wild rice was seeded in the waters that have given life to the Menominee since time immemorial.
Two weeks later, the Back Forty Mine applied for a mining permit, upstream from this sacred place! A mine here threatens to contaminate our sacred water and destroy our newly seeded wild rice. Please join us as we walk to bring awareness to this issue, and to pray for and stand up for our sacred water.
Financial support for this walk can be made at: https://www.gofundme.com/vqxpgxys
Financial and other support can be made by contacting Menominee tribal members Guy Rieter at 715-853-2776 or by email at: anahkwet@hotmail.com and/or Oralann Caldwell at 715-799-1586 or by email at: oralanncaldwell@yahoo.com. WE DO THIS FOR THE WATER
ABOUT THE BACK FORTY MINE
Aquila’s flagship Back Forty Project is a volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) deposit located along the mineral-rich Penokean Volcanic Belt in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Valuable metals are deposited in the ore along the Menominee River which represents the state line between Michigan and Wisconsin. The Back Forty Project currently demonstrates a 16.1 million ton measured and indicated (M&I) resource containing close to 1 million ounces of gold and 1 billion pounds of zinc. The Back Forty Project sits on the banks of the Menominee River which drains to Lake Michigan via Green Bay just north of the eponymous city. RMP has created an interactive Google Map of the Back Forty Gold Mine which is embedded at the bottom of this post if you’d like to go directly to the Google Map.
Aquila now owns 100% of the development-stage Back Forty Project that will delineate the zinc- and gold-rich VMS in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Over the past 10 years, Toronto based Aquila Resources and various joint venture partners, including Hudbay Minerals, have spent more than $70 million exploring and advancing Back Forty. The target money bogey estimated for the Back Forty Project to get off the ground is $261 million and the project looks like it might commence execution in 2016.
NEEDS LIST
Water Walkers (women wearing long skirts)
Eagle Staff Carriers (men wearing long pants)
Good, clean drinking water, preferably from a spring source or tap (not bottled water)
Fresh Fruit
Healthy Snacks – grab and go
Lunches for walkers at noon each day (note light lunch – sandwiches, water, piece of fruit recommended)
Dinners / hot meal for walkers each evening
Lodging for core group of walkers who will double up and share rooms as needed. Estimated 8 rooms per night.
Gas cards and/or gas money to fill tanks of designated water walker support vehicles
Long Skirts (to have on hand for women who come to walk but are not prepared)
Rain gear including extra coats, ponchos, dry socks, towels, hats
Bandaids / First Aid Kit / Ace Bandages
Coolers with ice
Paper cups
Stainless steel or glass water bottles NON-PLASTIC
Batteries – AA, AAA, C and D
Flashlights
Reflective tape and/or gear
Gloves, mittens, scarves
Bullhorn
