WaterFire Providence is proud and humbled by the opportunity to commemorate those members of the community who have been lost. The Memorial Canoe Ceremony choreographs the journey of specially dressed canoes down the Providence River, each one outfitted with candles, lanterns, and flowers laid by those close to the memorialized.
Symbolizing the transition from one stage of being to the next, each canoe’s journey is accompanied by the quiet attention of the attendees. The lanterns and candles represent the vibrancy and light brought into the world by those who have been lost, but also the fragility and temporariness of their presence. The empty chair and paddle commemorate the individual agency and action in each individual’s life, and the flowing water on which they travel, the passing of time.
