
10/08/2025
(Légende en français dans les commentaires)
Dear friends and river lovers,
Since the outbreak of Cyanobacteria in the Dordogne and Vezere rivers, our usual summer plans of being beside or in the water have been paused.
I have been reflecting on the situation and feel that the water is sending a message.
Human activity has depleted the waters, and as well as the obvious problems of fertilizers and other pollutants and rising temperatures, we often enter into bodies of water without asking permission, take what we need (pleasure, refreshment, play, exercise) and leave without giving thanks.
To repair this neglect and try to heal our rivers, I am proposing a ceremony of thanks. We can prepare boats made of leaves and other natural materials (containing nothing that will harm the river), bring flowers and songs.
I will copy a link and words to a simple water song below for us all to learn.
Date and time: Friday August 15th, 3pm
Place: Plage de Limeuil - where the two great rivers meet
Time: 3pm with shared goute afterwards.
Please feel free to share this invitation with all, and if you’re not local, do join us wherever you are at the same time by your nearest river… 🙏🏽
With gratitude for the recent time spent with the River Dronne.
Lyrics of the Algonquin water song
SING FOUR TIMES, EACH TIME FACING ONE OF THE FOUR DIRECTIONS, IN THE FOLLOWING ORDER:
EAST, SOUTH, WEST, NORTH Nee bee wah bow
En die en
Aah key mis kquee
Nee bee wah bow
Hey ya hey ya hey ya hey
Hey ya hey ya hey ya ho https://vimeo.com/273112273?fl=pl&fe=vl