The Voice of Water

By Azriel Re'Shel

The sacred prayers and wisdom of Indigenous peoples who have always known that how we decide to manage water will determine whether our future is peaceful or perilous, are finally being heard and acted upon, as groups under the guidance of Indigenous elders seek to legally protect water across the planet.

Water has been abused for far too long, but now people are starting to treat water like Indigenous custodians have for aeons — as a living being. Around the world, many people are standing up for the rights of bodies of water.

For 140 years, the Māori Whanganui iwi (tribe) negotiated for the Whanganui River to be recognized as their ancestor. Last year, in a world first, the New Zealand Parliament finally agreed that the Whanganui is a “living entity.” And just a week later, the Yamuna River and the Ganges were recognized by a high court in India as having legal rights, meaning the rivers have the same legal rights as any human.

In another revolutionary ruling, the Constitutional Court of Colombia decided that the Atrato River is a living being, a legal entity with personhood rights. The ruling says that the Atrato River, which had been heavily polluted by gold mining and left with mercury contamination, is now to be restored to health.

We've seen battles for basic human rights, for the abolition of slavery, the fight for women's rights, for the rights of gay or Indigenous people. And now we're seeing the battle for the rights of nature. Today the Yamuna, Ganges, Whanganui, Vilcabamba, and Atrato rivers have all been granted legal rights.

What is vital about the Atrato River ruling is that the rights awarded to the river are given because of what it provides for human life. It has “bio-cultural” rights, including its protection, conservation, maintenance, and restoration. And these rights are enforceable. The Colombian state must ensure these rights are imposed and the ruling says local Indigenous people must manage the river and its interests. This is a radical ruling, one which turns the commoditizing of nature and the colonial legacy on its head.

For too long now the waterways have been abused by humans — for industry, profit, and waste. Lawyers have now taken environmental activism into the law courts. Polly Higgins, a barrister and international environmental lawyer, says, "As a lawyer, my job is to represent the earth as my client."

Polly, who believes we can use law to change the rules of the game, is currently working to have a law enacted at an international level that would recognize ecocide as a crime. “It's about using law, and bringing law back to reinstate the sacred trust of civilization, because when we do that we start to take responsibility individually and collectively,” she says.

The Earth Law Center advances the rights of nature to exist, thrive, and evolve. Directing Attorney Grant Wilson is working to create replicable models of laws that communities across the world could pass to establish legal rights for nature.

"The rights of nature is an emerging legal paradigm that's happening all over the world right now.,” says Grant. “At the national level, we see two countries, Ecuador and Bolivia, that recognize rights of nature. Ecuador was the first in 2008. They, in a new constitution, have a whole section on legal rights for nature. They've had over a dozen court cases enforcing these rights. Bolivia passed two national laws, in 2010 and 2012, also recognizing rights for nature, or Pachamama, mother earth. So here we see two countries recognising it nationally. So a precedent is already emerging."

The Earth Law Center is currently working with a local coalition in Mexico, Cuatro al Cubo, that is fighting for the rights of three rivers.

"One is the Magdalena River, or the Rio Magdalena, “ says Grant. “It's in Mexico City. It's quite amazing as it's the last of some 45 rivers that once existed in Mexico City. Mexico City used to be an island Aztec capital. There's an island in a huge lake. When the Spaniards showed up, they basically built over the lake. And over the years now, it's become a megapolis covered in concrete, and there's some 45 rivers beneath the city. They call them invisible rivers. There's a campaign to restore them as there's only one single free-flowing river left, and that's the Magdalena."

The community-backed initiative recently had a legal breakthrough when the legislative assembly of Mexico City passed a new law, a water sustainability law that recognizes the rights of waterways, including the right to flow, to be free from pollution, and other rights. This is a wonderful example of how community and Indigenous advocates are winning the battle to save the environment and legally entrench the preservation and protection of water for generations to come.

"We've got to change to meet the river's picture, rather than what we've done for 150 years, which is to ask the river to change to meet our picture,” says Gerrard Albert, a Maori iwi spokesperson.

We learnt through the powerful actions at Standing Rock how to pray for water, to come together and honor and safeguard water. Cheryl Angel is a Water Protector and Native Rights Activist. She is Sicangu/Oohenumpa and STANDS with Standing Rock full time. She moves from a space of deep love, prayer, and nonviolent action.

"We are unarmed water protectors,” says Cheryl. “We ask all activists to become spiritual and all spiritual people to become active. In this unity, we will stand in powerful prayer to protect the water."

Prayers are an Indigenous way of protecting something, a powerful sacred practice. it is time for us to listen to, learn from, and respect the old ways and the timeless wisdom that our Indigenous brothers and sisters carry. We are entering a new era where Indigenous-led actions backed by the modern systems of the world are creating change and leading the way.

Chief Phil Lane Jr of the Ihanktonwan Dakota and Chickasaw nations, says that water is a key component in every sacred ceremony of all the tribes everywhere on Mother Earth, because water is foundational to all life.

"Back in 1980, when I sun danced for the first time, we sun danced with an elder named Pete and he liked to dance day and night for two days and two nights,” says Chief Lane. “The last day before we started the piercing, we were really, really thirsty. Our lips were cracked, our tongues felt fat. I mean, and it wasn't food at that point that you wanted, you wanted water. I remember him smiling to us saying, ‘Well, nephews, now you can understand that water is medicine, water is sacred.’ We know that without water we will very quickly leave this physical world. I mean, water is life. Water is life. I think that water also has so many spiritual teachings to share with us."

He goes on to explain the sacred teachings about water that he was given by his grandfather Frank, White Buffalo Man:

"He said, 'Grandson, what do you see, lessons in that stream?' He said, 'What is that water saying to you?'... 'Pick up the water and feel it. Feel how gently and how lovely it touches your hands.' He says, 'That water goes through deserts, through mountains, through plains, but it never turns its back on anybody or anything. It's always unselfish.' He said, "That water has great, great humility. It always sinks to the very lowest spot, but that water has so much patience, and so much strength, and so much power, that even the mountain stands before it — slowly but surely, it'll wash that mountain away into the sea.' He said, 'These are the spiritual qualities we have to have."

It has been shown that water is responsive to the power of intention. On March 22, join us for World Water Day and come together to Bless The Water around the world. Gather at your local water source, or home, and place your good intentions and prayers into the water. Let's stand in solidarity with the world's water protectors and, with this blessing, take the first step towards cleaning and restoring the world's water.

Register now for Bless The Water and watch the free online premiere on March 22 of the new UPLIFT film, The Voice of Water, featuring indigenous leaders, water experts, and representatives from the international legal battle for the rights of water.

Azriel Re’shel is a writer, editor, and yoga teacher. A former SBS Radio and BBC World Service Radio and TV news journalist, Azriel loves words, travel, and people. A skilled writer and editor, and a former PR and Events Coordinator, Azriel edits and writes for individuals and businesses working in the healing and creative arts. She has an Arts degree in Psychology and English, a Journalism diploma, and has studied Psychotherapy and many other healing modalities as part of her own spiritual path. Click here to visit Azriel’s website.