Year: 2020
Type: article
Abstract: T o Indigenous peoples, water is sacred.Water is the lifeline of Indigenous cultures, ceremonies, livelihood, and beliefs.Indigenous peoples have a repository of knowledge related to water, its use, and its spatial and temporal distribution.Hydrology and water resources can greatly benefit from Indigenous perspectives that includes place-based knowledge that helps us better understand complex natural and human systems.Sivapalan et al. (2012) termed "social-hydrology" as the science of people and water that is aimed at understanding the dynamics and co-evolution of coupled human-water systems.For Indigenous people, the study and observation of water were never separated from the people.For some Indigenous people, separating people and water is impossible as the origin, occurrence, form, and quality of water often define an Indigenous person, clan, people, and/or community.Internationally, Indigenous people are known as "water protectors" and they have been fighting to protect their waters from overuse and contamination.However, the voices of Indigenous people are rarely heard in hydrological sciences.The representation of Indigenous scientists in hydrology is also very small and they are often asked to participate in water research on tribal lands to ensure ethical protocols, strong tribal partnerships, and cultural sensitivity.Indigenous hydroscientists not only produce scientific investigation and knowledge, but they also have a passion and a deep commitment to doing science for the purpose of helping their communities address water challenges.In a sense, Indigenous hydroscientists become "water protectors" by using science as a tool to address water challenges facing tribal communities.Indigenous water scientists play a key role in bridging Western science with
Author: Karletta Chief
Institution: University of Arizona
Language: English
Subfield: Health
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
Funder: National Science Foundation
OpenAlex ID: W3033914223