Water Song: Indigenous Women and Water - The Solutions Journal 2018-04-12, 1036 AM Search Query # Become a Member (https://www.thesolutionsjournal.com/membership) Login (https://www.thesolutionsjournal.com/) Home (https://www.thesolutionsjournal.com/) / Water Song: Indigenous Women and Water Topics: Indigenous communities (https://www.thesolutionsjournal.com/topic/indigenous-communities) | Water (https://www.thesolutionsjournal.com/topic/water) | Women " Export Citation THIS ARTICLE IS PART OF: Water Song: Indigenous Women and Water Volume 7 | Issue 6 | November 2016 Volume 7 | Issue 6 | Page 64-73 | November 2016 By Kate Cave (https://www.thesolutionsjournal.com/author/kate-cave/), Shianne McKay (https://www.thesolutionsjournal.com/author/shianne-mckay/) Purchase PDF (https://www.thesolutionsjournal.com/article/water-song-indigenous-women-water/purchase/) (https://www.thesolutionsjournal.com/issue/volume- 7-issue-6-securing-water-women-changing- world/) (https://www.thesolutionsjournal.com/issue/volume-View Now ○ 7-issue-6-securing-water-women-changing- world/) (https://www.thesolutionsjournal.com/article/water-song-indigenous-women-water/) Lake Winnipeg Water Walk Katherine Morrisseau-Sinclair, an Indigenous woman who, inspired by Grandmother Josephine Mandamin, started the Lake Winnipeg Water Walk. In Brief Water is life and needs to be respected. For the Indigenous people in Canada, there is a reciprocal and (https://www.thesolutionsjournal.com/membership) unique relationship with water. In particular, Indigenous women share a sacred connection to the spirit of water through their role as child bearers, and have particular responsibilities to protect and nurture water. The forces of colonization and the lack of services to sustain reserves (space), residential schools (relationships), and federally imposed Elected Council systems (governance) have led to a disconnect in the intergenerational transfer of knowledge surrounding water. As a consequence, communities have experienced loss of language, traditional practices, and the roles and responsibilities of Indigenous women related to water. In response, Indigenous women across the country are raising their voices to draw attention to water issues faced in Indigenous communities and the inequities in the involvement of Indigenous women in water governance. They are arguing for the necessity of restoring women’s rightful place in and responsibilities for water governance. Drawing from literature, inspirational examples, and personal communication with Indigenous men and women from across Canada, this article provides a framework that is guided by 10 key principles and seven mechanisms to support Indigenous women in reasserting and reclaiming their influence on water governance. Current Issue https://www.thesolutionsjournal.com/article/water-song-indigenous-women-water/ Page 1 of 12 Water Song: Indigenous Women and Water - The Solutions Journal 2018-04-12, 1036 AM The Earth is said to be a woman. In this way it is (https://www.thesolutionsjournal.com/issue/volume- Read more ○ understood that woman preceded man on the Key Concepts 9-issue-1/) (https://www.thesolutionsjournal.com/issue/volume- Earth. She is called Mother Earth because from Her Water has significant cultural importance to 9-issue-1/) come all living things. Water is Her life blood. It flows Indigenous communities in Canada. through Her, nourishes Her, and purifies Her.1 Indigenous women in particular share a sacred No matter where people reside, what we do for a connection to the spirit of water through their role as living, our beliefs, or age, all of us must relate to child bearers and have particular responsibilities to water in order to live.2 Water is fundamental for our protect and nurture water. individual and community health, well-being, and Through colonialism processes, inequities exist sustainability as well as for ecological integrity and in the involvement of Indigenous women in water function. For Indigenous people in Canada (First governance, necessitating the restoration of Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples, nations, or women‘s rightful place and responsibilities in communities) there is a reciprocal and unique water governance. relationship with the water; Indigenous women Indigenous women across the country are raising their especially are recognized as having a special role voices to draw attention not only to water issues faced 3 and connection with water as they are life-givers. in Indigenous and wider communities. Across Canada there has been a movement within As principles and mechanisms are applied to re- Indigenous Nations to “rebuild the connections that empower and support Indigenous women in their role have been altered or lost through Western as water stewards and to be part of or lead the water governance dialogue, challenges can be overcome. influences, starting with the spiritual and cultural bonds they have had to water.”4 As the traditional ‘water-keepers‘ or ‘care takers‘ of the water, it is predominately Indigenous women who are leading these efforts. Water is an increasingly contested issue as Indigenous Canadian communities continue to assert Aboriginal Title, Treaty, and Rights regarding lands and waters within their traditional territories, revealing the complexity of future water planning, management, and governance. Most recently, the Supreme Court of Canada declared that the Tsilhqot‘in peoples have Aboriginal Title to over 1,700 square kilometers of their traditional territory.5 While Aboriginal Title to water was not specifically discussed in this decision, it is predicted that it has laid the foundation for Indigenous communities to assert their rights and make claims to water sources within their traditional territories.6 This article reflects on the relationships Indigenous women have to water, the impact of decolonization on, and inequities in the involvement of Indigenous women in water governance, and the need for restoring women‘s rightful place and responsibilities in these processes. There are nuanced interpretations and different experiences associated with these processes, thus it is not the intent to reflect the views of all Indigenous people across Canada or to provide a thorough discussion on the numerous issues that contextually surround Indigenous women and water. Rather, the intent is to provide instructive examples that represent these different histories. Among the most prominent, colonization and the lack of services to sustain reserves (space), residential schools (relationships), and federally imposed Elected Council systems (governance) have led to a disconnect in the transfer of knowledge. As a consequence, Indigenous communities have suffered a loss of language, traditional practices, and the roles and responsibilities of Indigenous women related to water. This is a reflection of selected literature, water-related events and initiatives, and interviews conducted with eight Indigenous men and women from across Canada in order to explore solutions to engaging Indigenous women in water governance. For the purpose of this paper, water governance refers to the processes and institutions related to the development and management of water resources.7 While the interviewees represented a variety of Nations from many locations (north, south, east, and west) and included both men and women, they do not represent all Nations, or present an exhaustive list of views and perspectives held by Indigenous peoples with regard to water in Canada. It has been a privilege to hear the insights provided by these Indigenous men and women and we deeply appreciate and respect the time they took to share their stories, experiences, and insight with us on this important topic. Some respondents requested to remain anonymous and others agreed to share their names. Indigenous Communities, Women, and Water https://www.thesolutionsjournal.com/article/water-song-indigenous-women-water/ Page 2 of 12 Water Song: Indigenous Women and Water - The Solutions Journal 2018-04-12, 1036 AM Water has significant cultural importance to Indigenous communities in Canada. For Indigenous peoples and their ways of life, water is a living thing, a spiritual entity with “life-giving” forces, which comes with certain duties and responsibilities to ensure that it is respected, protected, and nurtured.8–11 As Ardith Walkem, an Indigenous lawyer of the Nlaka’pamux Nation in British Columbia (BC) explains,explains, “Water is the lifeblood of the land and of the indigenous peoples and cultures that rely upon it.”12 For Indigenous peoples, water quantity and quality are not only ecological and health issues but also parts of a much broader holistic perspective which recognizes that all aspects of Creation are interrelated.13 Water is not only for drinking but also has traditionally and continuously been used in ceremonies, to grow medicines, and for cleansing and purification.3,8 Water is provided by Mother Earth, and mothers create children in water (amniotic fluid). Water is sacred and must be cared for, because without mothers and the water provided by Mother Earth we would not exist.10 Indigenous women have a strong and distinct physical and spiritual relationship with water and have traditionally been tasked with caring for it as it provides us with our first water environment in the womb, announces our birth, and sustains life. Thus, Indigenous women are often called the “Keepers of the Water” or “Carriers of the Water,”2,3,14,15 as the inheritors of water knowledge, protection, and management.9 As