Our Story
The Keepers of the Water movement was born during the first Keepers of the Water Gathering in Liidlii Kui, Denendeh/Fort Simpson, NWT, held on September 7, 2006. This Gathering was called because the northern Deh Cho (Mackenzie) River Basin people were becoming alarmed by reports of increased turbidity and toxicity and decreased volume of water in their watershed. They wanted to know what was happening to the water and the ecosystems that relied upon it.
Meeting on the shores of the great Deh Cho River, a gathering of Elders from the North created the Keepers of the Water Declaration:
Water is a Sacred gift, an essential element that sustains and connects all life. It is not a commodity to be bought or sold. All people share an obligation to cooperate in ensuring that Water, in all its forms, is protected and conserved with regard to the needs of all living things today and for the generations yet to come.
Read or download the entire Keepers of the Water Declaration
Elders Wisdom Council Cleo Reece Short Film
“Water is life. Without water, we would not exist."
In this powerful video, Wisdom Councillor Cleo Reece shares her deep connection to water and its sacred role in sustaining all life. She recalls the words of an elder who reminded her that without water, we wouldn’t have the moose—emphasizing how everything in nature is interconnected.
In August 2007, Elders gathered again in Thebacha, Denendeh/Fort Smith, NWT, and drafted resolutions to support the Keepers of the Water further;
We, the Indigenous Peoples of the Mackenzie River Basin and all the peoples of the Basin, from south to north, have gathered in Thebacha, Denendeh (Fort Smith, NWT) for Tu Beta Ts'ena, the "Water is Life" Conference, held from August 20-23, 2007 to express our concerns about the quality and quantity of our waters - the lifeline of all beings.
- Elders’ Resolutions
These Elders' resolutions were further refined during the September 2007 Keepers of the Water II: Keeping the Peace conference to reflect the growing voice of Elders throughout the Arctic Ocean Drainage Basin.
At KOWII, a second resolution supported by all attendees was drafted. It was resolved to formulate a national Keepers of the Water organization, with chapters for each Arctic Ocean Drainage Basin watershed.
We are concerned about the state of water across our country and around the globe. We support the development of a grassroots watershed plan for the Arctic Ocean Drainage Basin, bringing together First Nations, local citizens and community groups.
We are committed to building a coalition of Keepers of the Water, and creating our own Keepers groups - Keepers of the Peace, Slave, Athabasca, Liard, Hay, and Mackenzie - all the tributaries of the Arctic Ocean Drainage Basin. It is our hope that this will feed into a Canada-wide Keepers of the Water alliance.
- Keepers of the Water II Resolution, Fort St. John, BC, September 27-29, 2007
A third outcome of KOWII was developing a rough watershed plan for the Arctic Ocean Drainage Basin. This plan will continue to be developed and revised as new concerns, goals and actions are identified by groups throughout the Basin over the years to come.
Since those formative years, many Indigenous communities and individuals, educational institutions, environmental organizations, and even government departments have called on Keepers of the Water to bear witness to help elevate voices of concerns over actions that affect water (e.g. government policy, industrial activity, or poor community planning and infrastructure). Keepers of the Water is seen as a valuable and diverse voice that speaks for the Water.
As climate change worsens, KOW also sees the need to ensure that Water has a voice in the fight against climate change.
Water is the life force source of all living things. Their Elders have told Indigenous Peoples of the Americas that all living things need water; no plant or creature can exist without it. The right to safe drinking water is a human right, and people should have sufficient water supplies to meet their essential needs.