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Water protection: Securing the source of all life
This blog is Part Three of a three part series, highlighting the core priorities of National Wildlife Federation’s strategy to enhance Tribal and Indigenous partnerships for collaborative conservation: Intergenerational Knowledge Transmission, Food Sovereignty, and Water Protection. The values of sovereignty, self-determination, and free, prior and informed consent are foundational to our approach.
Take a look at the movement of water from high above in the sky, and you’ll notice the resemblance to our own veins that run life through us. This natural design speaks volumes to the essential role of water in every aspect of our lives.
As humans, we are born from water, made of water, and dependent on water to survive. In every essence, we are water. Indigenous communities have recognized this truth since time immemorial, commonly stating “water is life” and the “first medicine”.
Water is deeply ingrained in the identity of many Tribes. For example, the Fort Mojave Tribe who live along the Colorado River in Nevada, California, and Arizona, are originally named to honor their sacred connection to the river. Natalie Diaz, Mojave / Akimel O’odham poet, language activist and educator explains:
“Aha Makav is the true name of our people, given to us by our Creator who loosed the river from the earth and built it into our living bodies.
Translated into English, ‘Aha Makav means the river runs through the middle of our body, the same way it runs through the middle of our land.”
Natalie Diaz, The First Water Is The Body
The intrinsic value of water
As ‘Aha Makav, or River People, the health of the river translates to their own health as individuals, families, and a community. The two cannot be separated. This concept can be applied to every other organism that relies on the river. When the water is clean and flowing, fish and other wildlife are abundant and healthy, migratory species can travel freely, diverse plants can thrive, and people have a reliable food and water source to sustain themselves. A healthy river is a gift that keeps on giving.
The connection between water and identity is also evident in Indigenous cultural ceremonies. For instance, in sweat lodges, water plays an essential role. The structure of the lodge represents a mother’s womb, a sacred space where individuals are enveloped in warm steam and firmly grounded with Mother Earth.
This is a place for physical and spiritual purification—a profound release of toxins and the things that no longer serve an individual, and the invitation to reconnect with one’s ancestors and greater purpose. The presence of water within the sweat lodge highlights its role as a sustaining force, integral to the holistic well-being of Indigenous communities. Throughout the culture, water is affirmed as the source of all life.
The commodification of water
In the colonial perspective, water is often viewed as a resource to be exploited, along with other natural resources that enable large scale industrialization and urbanization.
Reducing water to a capital resource solely for human consumption severely undervalues the source of all life on Earth. From this place, access to clean water can be misinterpreted as a privilege for only certain groups to enjoy, rather than a fundamental right. Although industrialization has enabled the large-scale growth of society, the activities to build this infrastructure are often at the expense of local communities and the environment. Colonization and the misappropriation of water have led to severe consequences:
Over-extraction and diversion of water for the purposes of large-scale agricultural, industrial, and urban development threaten to drain whole ecosystems, disrupt the natural flow, and negatively impact local communities. In these depleted areas, many Indigenous peoples are unable to access water for their own drinking, farming, fishing, and more. Many families are forced to haul finite amounts of water back to their homes, where they must carefully ration every drop.
Industrial activities like mining, manufacturing, and chemical production can poison local water sources, from lakes and rivers to groundwater aquifers, resulting in loss of Indigenous livelihoods. Communities who rely on these natural water bodies for their daily needs face health hazards, food insecurity, economic instability, and threats to cultural and spiritual practices. The absence of viable water may additionally threaten a community to relocate, displacing them from their ancestral lands.
Unjust water laws, formed by and for colonizers, often ignore and undermine Indigenous water rights. Western legal frameworks prioritize economic development over traditional water management practices of Indigenous peoples. This excludes Indigenous communities from decision-making regarding their own ancestral lands, leading to depletion and pollution of sacred waters without their consent or benefit.
Water accessibility and protection
An estimated 48 percent of households on Native American reservations do not have access to reliable water sources, clean drinking water, or adequate sanitation. This disparity is devastating to Indigenous communities. With many places facing unprecedented drought, it’s more important than ever for water to be allocated fairly.
Nonetheless, Indigenous peoples are fierce water protectors, helping to forge a reality where water is safe, clean, and accessible to all.
Take for example, the Water & Tribes Initiative (WTI), an Indigenous-led organization that empowers 30 federally recognized Tribes within the Colorado River Basin to manage their water resources and engage in water policy discussions. Established in 2017, WTI aims to enhance tribal capacity and promote sustainable water use through collaborative problem-solving.
Many non-native organizations, including the National Wildlife Federation, are proud partners in this work. WTI addresses water access issues by facilitating research, outreach, education, and community dialogues, ensuring that Tribes have a voice in the planning and decision-making processes that affect the vital Colorado River, which serves over 40 million people.
Learn more about the Tribal framework for protecting the Colorado River here.
The Indigenous Women’s Leadership Network (IWLN) formed in 2021 and lives under WTI to create a space for Indigenous women working on water and natural resource issues. IWLN aims to mentor and inspire women leaders, exchange information, build and refine leadership skills, and facilitate a succession of Native women in positions of leadership. Mira Barney, Program Assistant at IWLN and Senior Strategy Coordinator at National Wildlife Federation, explains the importance of empowering Indigenous women to lead water protection initiatives in the Basin:
“Water is life, and water protection is at the core of the Indigenous Women’s Leadership Network. We’re paying homage to historical, Indigenous-led matriarchies by uplifting fellow women and helping them access resources to be leaders in their communities.
IWLN holds values that are core to my identity and reflected in so many other Native women too. They have helped me build confidence, serving as a reminder that we are strong women with the power to make a difference. I feel so honored to be part of this network, and to learn from matriarchs themselves—they are a true force to be reckoned with.”
Mira Barney
The Water & Tribes Initiative and Indigenous Women’s Leadership Network exemplify the invaluable role of Indigenous peoples in water protection. While they advocate for more just water decisions in the Colorado River Basin, similar initiatives are taking place all across the world. These collective efforts reinforce that…
water is identity,
water is power,
water is life.
The water does not belong to us, we belong to the water. Clean, accessible, and free-flowing water is essential to our entire existence. As good stewards of the environment, we have every reason to respect and protect this precious element.
The National Wildlife Federation supports water protection initiatives by standing with Tribes and Indigenous communities in advocating for their right to clean, accessible, free flowing water. Building authentic, collaborative partnerships with Tribes and Indigenous communities to support their needs is a primary focus of this work. The National Wildlife Federation acknowledges the need to do more, and the need to do better.
Continue learning about Water Protection:
- Nearly half of Colorado River tribes have unresolved water rights claims. New agreements could change that (KGNU Community Radio)
- Universal Access to Clean Water for Tribal Communities (Tribal Clean Water)
- Dispossessed, Again: Climate Change Hits Native Americans Especially Hard (The New York Times)
- Navajo families’ miles-long journey for water highlights access disparities (ABC News)