For Rivers Day this year, the focus and the location are centred on healing the main waterway through our local lives. The Fraser River is like a personal friend to drummer, vocalist and visual artist Danielea Castell. She has been joined by a host of other local artists who will use their skills to show respect to B.C.'s premier river, and express the message that healing our waters is an act for the survival of all creatures who touch this aquatic vein.
They have dubbed the meeting place The Bank of Gratitude - the unofficial park at the base of the CN Rail bridge on River Road. They will gather there for music, prayers, and thanksgiving during Rivers Day festivities Sept. 28 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.
"Part of the gathering is a cleanup we do of the area," said Castell. "It's part of the reciprocity of nature concept. We are doing a public event, so we make an offering in thanks."
Two events lead to the main gathering. On Saturday, potter Leanna Carlson holds a workshop ($25) on making Water Prayer Pots. Those taking part will make their own, she will fire them later, and on Rivers Day participants can get theirs back again at the riverbank, use it for their personal prayers, and most will be buried along the shoreline.
"I feel like these tributes have superpowers," Carlson said. "It is such a blessing we have - these resources of clean and abundant water right in our backyard. We shape the future of the river, we hold its health in our hands, and we can hold the clay in our hands to make these pots. The clay comes directly from this area, it wasn't trucked here or brought on ships, and the clay then goes back into the same earth."
Another pre-Rivers Day workshop is on Tuesday when Kate Roxburgh will conduct lessons ($15) in making beaded faucet bracelets to hang on your household taps.
"These are to remind us every time we draw water from the tap that we must be grateful for our resource, that water comes from somewhere and it goes somewhere once it's down the drain, it always ends up in the Fraser River eventually, and we give thanks for this resource," said Castell.
Other artists who will have a presence at the Rivers Day events include Jennifer Pighin, Natasha Plumridge, Lisa Loewen, Amanda Jean, Isaac Smeele, Wan Li and Paula Sword.
Many other communities in the area are doing similar ceremonies at the end of their own waterways.
Anyone here in Prince George wishing to celebrate our rivers - the end source of all the area's water - is invited to come to the Rivers Day events.
