The path of Laughing Waters

By Ian Vertel
Sun contributor
Carol Laughing Waters: “[that’s] a name I received in a waterfall in Yellow Stone National Park.” During a trip of camping and traveling, Carol of Maple City says, “it was very clear that that was my name. It was my first real experience of connecting with the Earth.” At first, Carol only used the name in circles of close friends or gatherings. However, she says that it became even clearer that Laughing Waters “was my legal name and I had to claim it.” She describes how, according to Native American tradition, names often change and are something one has to grow into. For Carol, it was for her to become a “laughing person [with] more lightness and joy.”
But it wasn’t always easy for Carol to use her true name. It was “difficult to use that name; I was feeling fear which was mine to overcome,” remembers Carol, filled with apprehension that native people would judge her. However, her fears were dispelled when native elder John Bailey told her at a Bioneers Conference that “there are many ways of knowing,” quotes Carol. She was giving a workshop on natural dyes and weaving — one of her passions — when John cast out her fear.

For 10 years, Carol has been a weaver. Initially, she used harsh, chemical commercial dyes, but became concerned when she saw other dyers who used the same products fall ill. At this point, “[I became] curious about the plants” and the dyes they could offer. Simultaneously, she immersed herself into the medicines of the plant world, and as a member of the Weaving Guild, she “met other women interested in the medicines.” Soon after, she decided that it “was time for us to get together and explore the medicines of the plants. We were small in number, but strong in passion,” describes Carol. As a result, the Herbal Alliance of Northern Michigan was organized, with Carol as one of the guiding members on the “Steering Wheel,” a group of the original herbal enthusiasts who wanted the power of directing the group to be shared equally rather than distributed in a system of hierarchy.
Fascinated in the healing power of the herbs, Carol has allowed the medicines of the plants to come to her when they are needed instead of seeking them out. “I watch what grows around my door and my land,” she comments. She remembers how she fell in love with the perennial plant boneset, a remedy for flu, fevers and viral infections. In turn, she harvested much of the enchanting plant. That winter, Carol, who will turn 70 in September, became ill, plagued by high fevers and intense night sweats. The sickness held onto Carol, reoccurring in severe bouts. She finally researched the properties of boneset and discovered that it was the perfect medicine for her condition. The remedy found her before any sign of illness manifested, as “it would have been pretty hard to find in the winter,” Carol now says in a lighthearted tone.
While Carol practices her own herbal medicine or receives alternative medical care from other practitioners, her true passion is for healing the Earth. “I have huge amounts of grief because of what’s happening” to the Earth, she says, due to all the harm human beings are incurring on the planet. But Carol will not allow the sadness to consume her and cloud her vision. “I can spend the rest of my life grieving, or I can see what I can do to be a part of the solution.” Along with working with the herbs and natural dyes, and teaching how to return to natural ways of living, Carol directs most of her energy to the formation of a Community Land Trust. “I’m concerned with the land in Leelanau County and how fast it is disappearing,” she explains, which has a profoundly negative effect on the community, deterring young families from starting their lives here.
A Community Land Trust “is about giving the land back to Herself (the Earth); this ownership thing is something we made up,” says Carol. In a Land Trust, a person can put a piece of land in it, but the Trust holds the title. Homes, farms, etc. can be built on the land affordably while still insuring that “it will never escalate” in terms of development, explains Carol. Another advantageous result of the formation of a Community Land Trust is that “land will never be used as a commodity.” The Trust can also stipulate whatever parameters it decides are necessary to preserve the pieces of land. For instance, one such stipulation could be that the farming done on a particular parcel of land must be organic to promote sustainability and extend protection to that ecosystem.
But while some support exists for the Community Land Trust, Carol encourages people to become motivated and active, as the current proponents are just a “handful of people,” she says. The proponents of the Land Trust have met with the Michigan Land Use Institute and have had extensive interviews posted on the website. Furthermore, this group has also approached the Leelanau Conservancy and the Grand Traverse Conservation District, and are currently “seeing what types of collaboration” can occur. Carol invites anyone interested in learning more about the Community Land Trust or who wishes to become involved to contact her at (231) 228-6591. She is confident that support will grow like the herbs, appearing when the time is right.