"nibi onje biimaadiiziiwin – means ‘water because of life, but life because of water’. It is not descriptive like the English language; it is not ‘water is life’, it is ‘because of’ – it is purposeful.” -- Aimee Craft, Indigenous Lawyer and Professor, University of Ottawa Our western scientific perception of water as two parts hydrogen and one part oxygen (typically seen by mainstream society), has reduced it to a commodity for human uses and activities. This remains a stark contrast to the culture of Indigenous peoples. The Indigenous relationship to water as a living entity embraces many more nuances. It is a relationship bringing with it a responsibility and a teaching that has the potential to enrich the water security narrative while complementing western science.
The Indigenous Perspective
Dr. Robert Patrick is a Professor and Chair of Regional and Urban Planning in the Department of Geography, University of Saskatchewan. He contends the Indigenous perspective is an important piece of the conversation that needs to be included in Canada’s water security story. Focused now on reclaiming Indigenous culture as a pathway to local water security, Patrick is emphasizing the relational components of kinship, custodial territory, traditional knowledge, cultural beliefs and inter-generational considerations as holistic foundational building blocks to Indigenous planning in developing community based watershed and source water protection.
“We define water security as sustainable access on a watershed basis to adequate quantities of water of acceptable quality to ensure human and ecosystem health.” But there are inherent difficulties within that definition. Water governance in Canada is highly fragmented across multiple layers of government departments and agencies. In addition, authority over watershed planning in many regions has been further devolved to local watershed organizations that operate in isolation not only from one another but from First Nation communities within the same watershed. Patrick states that five themes emerged from the Indigenous participants of varied communities in Saskatchewan.
A more holistic framing of water security would include:
- Water as a life form
- Water and the spirit world
- Women as water-keepers
- Water and human ethics
- Water in Indigenous culture
“Participants often related water to a life form explaining that the way we protect our water will either help or hinder our preservation.”
WT had the privilege of speaking with Aimee Craft, Indigenous (Anishinaabe-Metis) lawyer whose expertise is in Canadian Aboriginal Law. A direct descendent of Louis Riel, she is also Assistant Professor at the University of Ottawa and Adjunct Professor at the University of Manitoba. “My relationship to water is celebratory in terms of acknowledging its importance but there is a sadness that comes with water that is not safe to drink, or water that is being dammed, or water that is being manipulated for individual purposes without keeping in mind the collective interests, the spirit of that water itself.
My relationship is first in giving thanks to the water, then working for the water in any way I can.” “In Anishinaabe inaakonigewin (our own legal system), we regard nibi (water), as a being with which we conduct a relationship. We do not control it, although in some cases we try. Water is an independent legal actor. When we alter water, for example by adding chemicals, this changes our relationship to water and makes many Elders feel unsafe. We also know that we cannot stop water’s flow without consequences. This is a breach of sacred and natural law. When we alter the flow of water, we must have good reasons and be prepared to make reparations to the water and other beings including animals and plants. We do that through healing ceremonies and our everyday actions.”
Anishinaabe Water Law can be simplified in the following basic principles:
- Water has a spirit
- We do not own water
- Water is life
- Water can heal
- Water has duality (it can give, sustain and take life)
- Water can suffer
Learning to Respect Water
Environmental justice for Anishinaabe peoples and the revitalization of Anishinaabe Law is the basis of Susan Chiblow, a York University PhD Candidate, work on enhancing the water narrative. “There is no separation between water and human beings as we are water and water is us. If we respect water, we are respecting ourselves. If we harm the waters we harm ourselves. This is the basis of nibi governance.” Nibi can take many forms including snow, ice, spring-water, rain, fresh water, swamp water, aquifers, and birth water."
Anishinaabe women have a special relationship with the waters since women have life-giving powers and a particular responsibility to protect and nurture water,” Chiblow adds. Chiefs of Ontario Report on First Nations Water Policy also states women are the water keepers. “I participated in several Mother Earth Walks led by Anishinaabe Grandmother Josephine Mandamin with the intent of teaching the importance of nibi.” “Grandmother Josephine spoke of the memory of water and the importance of placing beautiful and uplifting words on our water cups so that the elements of those words become our own water. Later I learned that the Japanese scientist, Masaru Emoto explained that human consciousness had an effect on the structure of water.
Science is catching up with us!” “She also taught that drinking bottled water is akin to drinking dead water. The water in the bottle has taken on the contamination of the plastic and that contamination spreads to our water systems, our fish and our animals.” Chiblow also explained that the trauma water suffers also affects the child in utero. “I believe this is not only true for our own generational trauma but that it affects all peoples of the world.” Anishinaabe are considered ‘water people’. “Since water is considered a sacred element in life, it must therefore be cherished as an essential relative, elder and teacher. If we can view nibi as one of our teachers, we should be able to allow nibi to manage itself.”
“The understanding of Anishinaabe ways of living with nibi is old but will be new to many current water decision-making regimes. It is urgent that the new understandings for politics and governance in relation to nibi be accepted, as nibi is not infinite; rather, nibi is needed for all life to sustain itself. We are all nibi. When we understand that connection that we all have the same essence then we can bring into balance our respect and our responsibility.’ – Susan Chiblow
Thank you Suzanne Forcese for sharing your article!
