WaterWater

First Nations & Métis First Nations & Métis

Grade 8 – SK CurriculumGrade 8 – SK Curriculum

Earth & Space Science- Water Earth & Space Science- Water SystemsSystems

By: Lori SlaterBy: Lori Slater

Traditional KnowledgeTraditional Knowledge

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

Traditional KnowledgeTraditional Knowledge

• Elders give their knowledge through Elders give their knowledge through stories told to the children:stories told 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 The respect we give to Mother Earth is to not pollute or waste the waters.not pollute or waste the waters.

Traditional KnowledgeTraditional Knowledge

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

• Places of prayer;Places of prayer;

• Bathing;Bathing;

• Oral stories;Oral stories;

• Purification ceremonies;Purification ceremonies;

• Medicine making.Medicine making.

Traditional KnowledgeTraditional Knowledge

• 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 Gill nets are walls of netting which may be set at are walls of netting which may be set at or below the surface, on the waterway, or at any or below the surface, on the waterway, or at any depth in between. Gill netting is probably the depth in between. Gill netting is probably the oldest form of net fishing, having been in use for oldest form of net fishing, having been in use for thousands of years by First Nation Peoples.thousands of years by 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 allow the head to pass through the meshes but not through the meshes but not the rest of the body. the rest of 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 attempts to back out of the net. The mesh size used net. The mesh size used depends upon the species depends upon the species and size range being and size range being targeted.targeted.

Northern Saskatchewan First NationsNorthern Saskatchewan First Nations

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

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

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

First Nations & MétisFirst Nations & Métis

• 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’.

First Nations & MétisFirst Nations & Métis

• Aquatic plants Aquatic plants

Many of the water plantsMany of the water plantswere eaten raw in salads; were eaten raw in salads; water celery, lemon grass, water celery, lemon grass, duckweed and mint.duckweed and mint.

First Nations uses for CattailsFirst Nations uses for Cattails

• Food: The roots may be ground into a flour. The Food: The roots may be ground into a flour. The sticky sap between the leaves is an excellent sticky sap between the leaves is an excellent starch and can be used to thicken soups and starch and can be used to thicken soups and broths. broths.

• The white colored shoots at the base of the leaf The white colored shoots at the base of the leaf clusters can be boiled or steamed or sliced and clusters can be boiled or steamed or sliced and eaten raw in salads.eaten raw in salads.

• Medicine: Pollen was placed directly on cut to Medicine: Pollen was placed directly on cut to control bleeding. Also, taken internally for internal control bleeding. Also, taken internally for internal bleeding, menstrual pain, or chest pains. bleeding, menstrual pain, or chest pains.

Aquatic plants First Nations uses:Aquatic plants First Nations uses:

• Arrowhead – tuber similar Arrowhead – tuber similar to a potato that could be to a potato that could be picked and boiled and picked and boiled and eaten as a vegetable.eaten as a vegetable.

• Water Lily – leaves boiled Water Lily – leaves boiled and used as a gargle for and used as a gargle for sore throats or drank for sore throats or drank for treatment of diarrhea.treatment of diarrhea.

Aquatic PlantsAquatic Plants

• Water Hemlock:Water Hemlock:

Toxic plant –Toxic plant –

VERY POISONOUS VERY POISONOUS ROOTS a marble size ROOTS a marble size portion of the fleshy portion of the fleshy root is enough to kill root is enough to kill an animal or a human.an animal or a human.

• root contains cicutoxinroot contains cicutoxin

First Nations & MétisFirst Nations & Métis

• WildlifeWildlife

• Moose Hunting:Moose Hunting:• Moose can live on pine needles and bark but prefer grasses and Moose can live on pine needles and bark but prefer grasses and

aquatic plants such a lily pads and skunk cabbage. It is very aquatic plants such a lily pads and skunk cabbage. It is very common to see Moose along the shores of rivers and lakes.common to see Moose along the shores of rivers and lakes.

During a fishing trip to Black Lake the First Nation guide told During a fishing trip to Black Lake the First Nation guide told stories of hunting moose while fishing stories of hunting moose while fishing because they see the because they see the Moose over and over again during the summer along the Moose over and over again during the summer along the shorelines. shorelines.

The moose is shot and then it is tied by the horns to the back of The moose is shot and then it is tied by the horns to the back of the boat and hauled back to town through the water. All parts of the boat and hauled back to town through the water. All parts of the moose are used: meat, fur, horns, organs etc.the moose are used: meat, fur, horns, organs etc.

TransportationTransportation

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

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

Drainage basin pictureDrainage basin pictureFinal drainage Into the Hudson Bay

Forces that shape the landscape - RiversForces that shape the landscape - Rivers

• South Saskatchewan River – Saskatoon Weir South Saskatchewan River – Saskatoon Weir

• Major River in CanadaMajor River in Canada

• 1392km long1392km long

• Drainage to Hudson BayDrainage to Hudson Bay

• South SaskatchewanSouth Saskatchewan

kisiskāciwani-sīpiykisiskāciwani-sīpiy,, CreeCree for Swift flowing river for Swift flowing river

Forces that shape the landscape - RiversForces that shape the landscape - Rivers

• Pelican riding the Weir in SaskatoonPelican riding the Weir in Saskatoon

Forces that shape the landscape – Lakes & CreeksForces that shape the landscape – Lakes & Creeks

• Water forces that shape Water forces that shape the landscape the landscape

• Lakes and Rivers cover Lakes and Rivers cover approx 12% of SK approx 12% of SK

• 62 Lakes in SK (official 62 Lakes in SK (official size) if count the smaller size) if count the smaller lakes over 100,000 lakes over 100,000

• Creeks in SKCreeks in SK• 12 official size creeks 12 official size creeks

plus many smaller plus many smaller creekscreeks

Water QualityWater Quality

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

First Nations & MétisFirst Nations & Métis

• Water QualityWater Quality

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

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

Water QualityWater Quality

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

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

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

Traditional KnowledgeTraditional Knowledge

• 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 contaminants from the water.water.

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

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