Keepers of the Water: exploring Anishinaabe and Metis women's knowledge of water and participation in water governance in Kenora, Ontario

Abstract

The Common Land, Common Ground is a partnership between Kenora, ON, Grand Council Treaty #3, and three reserve communities in the area. This research focused on Aboriginal women’s knowledge of water and participation in water governance under the auspices of the Common Ground Research Forum. Data was collected through qualitative research methods. This thesis is organized by objectives: 1) recording women’s knowledge and teachings on water; 2) learning about the concerns women have regarding water in and around their communities; 3) establishing the role women have played and are playing in water governance in their communities; and 4) identifying culturally appropriate opportunities for shared learning about their connection to water and their role in its governance. Recommendations include: creating roles for Aboriginal women in new and existing governance structures, greater inclusion of Métis perspectives in Common Ground activities, and incorporation of Aboriginal water knowledge in school curricula and tourism resources.