Sacred Waters Collective
Sacred Waters Collective is an Indigenous-led organization with individuals serving Indigenous communities throughout Michigan to provide a traditional support system. We serve as a birth work mentorship circle, cultivating sustainable, traditionally-focused, community-driven care for Indigenous families. Our goal is to return the power back to families to connect with the power of traditional birth and parenting to build communities that are connected to their culture, language, and traditions. Our purpose is to reclaim traditional birth and breastfeeding practice for Indigenous communities, cultivating relationships and interconnection while countering the systemic racism at the root of many of the health problems facing Indigenous communities.
Mission: To reclaim traditional ways for Indigenous communities, cultivating traditional birth and parenting practices that build stronger families and communities from birth onward.
Vision for the Future: Our vision is centered in our mission to reclaim Indigenous culture for Indigenous families.
- Reclamation of Indigenous bodily sovereignty
- Reclamation of Indigenous food sovereignty
- Reclamation of traditional Indigenous ceremonies
Leadership:
- Lindsey McGahey
- Micaela McHenry
- Angie Sanchez
- Crystal Wynk
- Sage Hegdal
- Meredith Kennedy
Partners:
- Michigan Breastfeeding Network
- Panoramic Doula
- Sage and Rebozos
- Nourishing Nations
Service model: Our model is grounded in our vision of reclaiming Indigenous bodily sovereignty. It is designed and led By Indigenous folx, for Indigenous folx and free of cost to Indigenous folx. It is deeply rooted in our culture, and designed to impact everyone in our communities – from youth to elders.
1) Education/mentoring with teens
- Menstruation/moontime teachings
- Fertility awareness
- Anatomy
- Sexually transmitted infections
- Preconception care and knowledge
- Preventative health information
- Reclaiming bodily sovereignty
- Sti testing – potentially in the form of courses?
- Traditional parenting classes
- Nutrition classes
- Fertility awareness
- Conscious conception
- Sex education
- Birth Education
- Breastfeeding Education
- Anatomy and physiology
- Empowerment and advocacy resources
2) Birthworker fund
- Community fund for Indigenous birthwork services centered in culturally rooted resources
- Development of culturally rooted resources and dissemination costs (books, classes, gatherings, etc.)
- Preventative health information
- Reclaiming bodily sovereignty
- Rights and options in birth
- Safe co-sleeping
- Postpartum Education
- Traditional Medicine Birthwork
- Traditional foods
3) Men’s roles in fatherhood
- Supporting men to step into their roles as fathers
- Reclaiming bodily sovereignty
- Cradle Board workshops
- Safe co-sleeping
- Men’s traditional work like firekeeping, building lodges, moss bags, rattles, cradleboards, etc.
4) Training for the community
- Free of charge cost to communities
- Reclaiming bodily sovereignty
- Safe co-sleeping
- Cradle Board and Moss Bag workshops
- Preventative health information
- Mortality and morbidity and historical trauma outcomes on parenting, birth and breastfeeding
- Physical educational resources/material/infographics
- Elder Care and curriculums
- Reclaiming birth work for communities
- Traditional birth roles of community members
5) Sustainability
- Reach youth/teens through education and mentorship
- Establish a birthworker community fund to develop and provide culturally-rooted services and resources
- Support men’s roles as they step into fatherhood
- Develop and train the community at no cost on traditional birth and parenting practices
- Ensure sustainability of our reclamation efforts by removing barriers, economic and otherwise, to continuing and expanding our reach
Successes to date:
- Established statewide BIPOC Birthworker Cohort
- Developed the first Indigenous Milk Medicine Week proclamation for Governor Whitmer to proclaim across Michigan