water first nations ws8.1

WaterWater

First Nations & Métis First Nations & Métis Grade 8 – SK CurriculumGrade 8 – SK Curriculum

Earth & Space Science- Water Earth & Space Science- Water SystemsSystemsWS8.1WS8.1

Traditional KnowledgeTraditional Knowledge

• First Nations have a strong spiritual connection with First Nations have a strong spiritual connection with water. Water is considered water. Water is considered livingliving and must be and must be respected.respected.


• Elders give their knowledge through stories told Elders give their knowledge through stories told to the children:to the children:

• Water is sacred;Water is sacred;• Water is given to us by Mother Earth;Water is given to us by Mother Earth;• The respect we give to Mother Earth is to not The respect we give to Mother Earth is to not

pollute or waste the waters.pollute or waste the waters.


• First Nations peoples First Nations peoples have a variety of cultural have a variety of cultural and social practices that and social practices that involve water:involve water:

• Places of prayer;Places of prayer;• Bathing;Bathing;• Oral stories;Oral stories;• Purification ceremonies;Purification ceremonies;• Medicine making.Medicine making.


• First Nations Fishing;First Nations Fishing;

• First Nations people harvested the fish resources of SK long before European influence and in the forested areas of the Province, fish were a major contributor to sustaining life.

First Nations & MétisFirst Nations & Métis

• First Nations peoples harvest:

• Lake trout, walleye, northern pike, suckers, perch, whitefish, and Arctic grayling were some of the species commonly utilized.

• Respect for nature, life and its offerings were strongly emphasized at the time of these traditional practices and still are today.

First Nations and MétisFirst Nations and Métis

• Traditional Fishing Practices:Traditional Fishing Practices:

• birch bark canoes• spears• snares attached to poles • fish trapsAll were methods used to harvest fish from the surroundingwaters.

First Nations & MétisFirst Nations & Métis• Fish were preserved by

freezing in the winter.• Drying or Smoking in the

summer.

First Nations & Métis First Nations & Métis

• Fishing Practices:Fishing Practices:• Gill net fishing: Gill net fishing: • Gill nets Gil l nets are walls of netting which may be set at or are walls of netting which may be set at or

below the surface, on the waterway, or at any depth in below the surface, on the waterway, or at any depth in between. Gill netting is probably the oldest form of net between. Gill netting is probably the oldest form of net fishing, having been in use for thousands of years by fishing, having been in use for thousands of years by First Nation Peoples.First Nation Peoples.

Gill Net FishingGill Net Fishing

• True gill nets catch fish that True gill nets catch fish that attempt to swim through the attempt to swim through the net, which are caught if they net, which are caught if they are of a size large enough to are of a size large enough to allow the head to pass through allow the head to pass through the meshes but not the rest of the meshes but not the rest of the body. the body.

• The fish then becomes The fish then becomes entangled by the gills as it entangled by the gills as it attempts to back out of the net. attempts to back out of the net. The mesh size used depends The mesh size used depends upon the species and size upon the species and size range being targeted.range being targeted.

Northern Saskatchewan First NationsNorthern Saskatchewan First Nations

• Northern SK communities such Northern SK communities such as Black Lake, Hatchet Lake as Black Lake, Hatchet Lake and Fond du Lac First Nations:and Fond du Lac First Nations:

• Fish are still a major staple in Fish are still a major staple in the diet.the diet.

• Some of the traditional fishing Some of the traditional fishing methods are still used along methods are still used along with modern fishing equipment with modern fishing equipment and techniques.and techniques.


• Treaty Rights & Fishing:Treaty Rights & Fishing:• “The legal recognition of Aboriginal rights to fish and

hunt has a long-standing history in Canada.”

“These rights are protected in the Canadian Constitution and are given priority in resource allocation over all other uses. Only valid conservation concerns can be given priority over these rights.”

First Nations & Métis Fishing RightsFirst Nations & Métis Fishing Rights

• “The application of Métis Aboriginal rights to fish and hunt for food in Saskatchewan is evolving and stillunclear.” Métis rights are not the same as the universal rights held by First Nations Peoples under the Treaty Rights.

The government does require a First Nations and Métis peoples to buy a fishing license to fish a ‘stocked lake’.


• Transportation via Waters:Transportation via Waters:• The geography of the prairie provinces, more commonly known as The geography of the prairie provinces, more commonly known as

the "Northwest Territory" during the days of fur trade, has three the "Northwest Territory" during the days of fur trade, has three principle water basins: principle water basins:

• the Red River, draining the south and eastern portion; the Red River, draining the south and eastern portion; • the Athabasca Basin which drains the most northerly and western the Athabasca Basin which drains the most northerly and western

area; and area; and • the Saskatchewan River (South SK and North SK join just North of the Saskatchewan River (South SK and North SK join just North of

Prince Albert) which drains water east of the Rockies all the way to Prince Albert) which drains water east of the Rockies all the way to Lake Winnipeg and finally to Hudson's Bay. Lake Winnipeg and finally to Hudson's Bay.

TransportationTransportation

• The Saskatchewan River with its ease of access and The Saskatchewan River with its ease of access and navigation from Lake Winnipeg became the primary navigation from Lake Winnipeg became the primary gateway to the rich fur-bearing regions beyond. gateway to the rich fur-bearing regions beyond.

• In addition, the Saskatchewan River provided access to In addition, the Saskatchewan River provided access to other important navigable rivers in northern other important navigable rivers in northern Saskatchewan; i.e., the Churchill River system as well as Saskatchewan; i.e., the Churchill River system as well as the Clearwater River which provided access to the Lake the Clearwater River which provided access to the Lake Athabasca basin. Athabasca basin.

Drainage basin pictureDrainage basin pictureFinal drainage Into the Hudson Bay

Water QualityWater Quality

• Pollution of water-bodies and the effects on First Nations Pollution of water-bodies and the effects on First Nations Peoples.Peoples.

• Waters are sacred;Waters are sacred;• Waters are a food source;Waters are a food source;• Waters are a way of life, transportation;Waters are a way of life, transportation;• Drinking water on the First Nation.Drinking water on the First Nation.


• Water QualityWater Quality

• FN news release VC Whitefish re: FN that have to boil FN news release VC Whitefish re: FN that have to boil their water – May 28, 2010:their water – May 28, 2010:

• ““There are 114 First Nation communities across Canada There are 114 First Nation communities across Canada under drinking water advisories. In Saskatchewan there under drinking water advisories. In Saskatchewan there are boil water advisories on 12 First Nation are boil water advisories on 12 First Nation communities.”communities.”

Water QualityWater Quality

• Pollution in SK waters:Pollution in SK waters:• One example is the Pipestone Creek water pollution in One example is the Pipestone Creek water pollution in

1995 from the town of Kelvington dumping sewage into 1995 from the town of Kelvington dumping sewage into the creek. This directly affected the First Nation of the creek. This directly affected the First Nation of Yellow Quill which attains some of their water from the Yellow Quill which attains some of their water from the creek during periods in the spring when the creek flows. creek during periods in the spring when the creek flows.

• The First Nation of Yellow Quill had poor water quality as The First Nation of Yellow Quill had poor water quality as well as many forms of bacteria that could have caused well as many forms of bacteria that could have caused serious health risks.serious health risks.


• Water treatment plants First Water treatment plants First Nations Nations

• Yellow Quill FN:Yellow Quill FN:• 1995 boil-water advisory due 1995 boil-water advisory due

to poor surface water sourceto poor surface water source• Fall of 2003Fall of 2003• A state of the art facility that A state of the art facility that

uses no chemicals, the bio-uses no chemicals, the bio-membrane process uses membrane process uses naturally occurring micro-naturally occurring micro-organisms to remove the organisms to remove the contaminants from the water.contaminants from the water.

The Yellow Quill First Nation bio-membrane water treatment plant in Saskatchewan is the first of its kind in Canada.

Northern First NationsNorthern First Nations

• First Nations communities in Northern Saskatchewan First Nations communities in Northern Saskatchewan have long voiced their concerns about uranium mining have long voiced their concerns about uranium mining and the dangers to the surrounding waters. Buried or and the dangers to the surrounding waters. Buried or ponded mine tailings have led to water pollution affecting ponded mine tailings have led to water pollution affecting the fishing communities.the fishing communities.

• The uranium mining companies are more The uranium mining companies are more environmentally aware today and taking more environmentally aware today and taking more precautions with tailings and decomposition of mines precautions with tailings and decomposition of mines than they have in the past.than they have in the past.

Sources:Sources:

• Saskatchewan First Nations Elders • www.environment.gov.sk.ca• www.wikimapia.orgwww.wikimapia.org• www.wikipedia.orgwww.wikipedia.org• www.fishonline.orgwww.fishonline.org• http://www.npss.sk.cahttp://www.npss.sk.ca• www.agriculture.gov.sk.cawww.agriculture.gov.sk.ca• www.safewater.orgwww.safewater.org

Lori Slater Lori Slater B.Sc. Biology, BEd. Senior ScienceB.Sc. Biology, BEd. Senior Science

• Program Coordinator – Science Program Coordinator – Science

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