Critical elements for local Indigenous water security in Canada: a narrative review

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Indigenous Studies
• Water Resource Management

Background:

• Indigenous communities in Canada disproportionately experience poor water quality and advisories.
• Current water crisis solutions are predominantly Western Science (WS) based, lacking Indigenous community consultation and cultural consideration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To document Indigenous Knowledge (IK) and perspectives on water.
• To identify existing local water security tools used by Indigenous communities.
• To advocate for Indigenous ownership and leadership in water security, supported by appropriate resources.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature review was conducted over the past ten years.
• The review focused on documenting Indigenous Knowledge (IK) and identifying community-based water security tools.
• Analysis of themes related to Indigenous perspectives on water, including creation, natural sources, life-giving properties, and gender.

Main Results:

• One overarching creation theme and three water-specific themes emerged from the literature.
• Key themes identified include: water from natural sources, water as a life-giving entity, and the role of water and gender.
• The review highlighted a lack of integration between Indigenous Knowledge (IK) and Western Science (WS) in current water security approaches.

Conclusions:

• Sustainable water security for Indigenous communities requires solutions grounded in traditional Indigenous worldviews and cultural values.
• There is a critical need for a new framework for local water security that actively engages both Indigenous Knowledge (IK) and Western Science (WS).
• Developing new tools that integrate IK and WS is essential for assessing local water security and informing effective interventions, policies, and legislation.