Iskwewak Indigenous Saskatchewan Women’s Environmental Water Advocacy Keepers brought awareness to their cause, with indigenous knowledge keepers, leadership, youth, and researchers on the north Saskatchewan riverbank in Prince Albert on Monday.
“We just wanted to prove that Indigenous people know what to do to take care of the land,” said Denise McKenzie, who is the Coordinator for the Saskatchewan River Delta Restoration Project, and one of the founders of the Iskwewak Water Movement, and the Iskwewak Indigenous SK Women’s Environmental Water Advocacy Keepers.
“We’ve been for over 10,000 years. We didn’t make this mess, within a few hundred years they’ve destroyed everything,”
Denise McKenzie and Veronica Favel are both members of the N90 Trappers of the Saskatchewan Trappers Association, and have been for over 20 years. They have also been a part of the Saskatchewan River Delta Restoration Project for over ten years, the Iskwewak Water Movement for around ten years, and the Iskwewak Indigenous Saskatchewan Women’s Environmental Water Advocacy Keepers for two years.
The N90 Trappers operate on the Saskatchewan Delta River fur block near Cumberland House, Saskatchewan. The N90 Trappers were one of the first fur blocks in Saskatchewan, originally called the Delta Trappers, before receiving the N90 title along with the other fur blocks in Saskatchewan.
The Saskatchewan River Delta, also known as the Cumberland Marshes, is roughly 1,000 square kilometres. It is located in northeastern Saskatchewan, and continues into Manitoba, near The Pas.
The Sask. River Delta or the SRD is the largest inland river delta in North America and is extremely important for the entire health of the wildlife ecosystem, as well as a longstanding and deep cultural relationship with the Swampy Cree and the Metis.
“It’s a really important place,” said Graham Strickert, School of Environment and Sustainability Assistant Professor and Research Associate for the Global Institute for Water Security at the University of Saskatchewan. “It used to be so productive that there were millions of muskrat, tens of thousands of moose and birds, so many birds during migration that in the middle of the day it would be twilight while they’re migrating. It’s still a beautiful and productive ecosystem, but nowhere near what it used to be like in terms of productivity.”
Strickert said he began with studying natural disasters for his degree, then realized how important water is to life, alongside oxygen.
“I’ve known Denise and Veronica for almost 15 years and we’ve been working on the Saskatchewan River Delta from a scientific perspective, also from a cultural perspective. Initially, (the) first time I went to the delta, I thought I was there to study a flood in 2011. Then I realized that there was a much bigger story going on that the community told us about,” explained Strickert.
Strickert said he began working in the delta with the community because there was missing information about what was going on. Challenges included the declining numbers of moose and muskrat, and increase in phragmites, and the overall productivity of the delta.
Strickert described a river delta is an area with a flat landscape, with water spread across, only about knee-deep. The depth of the water allows enough light penetration for the organisms on the soil, silt or sediment to grow, which in-turn attracts insects, then birds, fish and mammals.
“River deltas are one of the most productive places for all kinds of species. In a way, they’re the foundation of the wild food chain,” said Strickert.
The SRD’s health is currently being threatened by water resource development projects such as dams and agriculture irrigation.
In the past, the Hudson Bay Company intervened to try to boost fur productivity with control structures. They were followed by the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Association, which tried to drain sections of the delta for agriculture. They were successful in the southeastern lobe of the delta, in Manitoba, and they attempted to duplicate that project in Saskatchewan, but failed. Ducks Unlimited was also active in the area trying to influence water levels in an attempt to boost the duck population.
“People have lived that decline, they’ve experienced it, they’ve watched it. It’s their backyard, and for them, it’s heartbreaking. Their whole culture is entwined with the wet landscape that now oftentimes is not wet,” said Strickert.
“We’ve lost our way of life, the kids have really lost their way of life. We remember it, we lived it, but we knew it was gone. It’s very important to our people that keeps on, that’s our roots,” expressed McKenzie.
McKenzie went on to use the situation in Cumberland Lake with the E.B. Campbell Dam as an example. McKenzie explained that before the E.B. Campbell Dam was built, Cumberland Lake was approximately 48 kilometres across, and 40 feet deep. But since the construction of the dam, it is now approximately 3 kilometres across, and 2 feet deep.
The Saskatchewan River Delta is also a huge carbon sink, estimated to hold about 160 million tonnes of carbon. With the drying of the wetland, that carbon will be released into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change and global warming.
“Water is life, (it’s) within us to protect the water, without it, none of us are going to survive. It’s really important to our people because we’ve always taken care of the land. We’ve always been the stewards of the water, land, (and) air,” said McKenzie.
Trapping in the delta had disappeared, along with the knowledge, teachings, and way of life of the trapline. McKenzie shared that without the indigenous way of knowing and land-based education on conservation of the environment, youth are also being affected. She explained that she has noticed that indigenous youth have been struggling with their identity, missing the traditional part of their life, and in turn are easily drawn to alcoholism and drugs.
“By doing this, we’re trying to reach out and gather as much support as we can so we can ask the government for protection,” said McKenzie.
The event on Monday afternoon began at 1 p.m. in Muir Park on the riverbank in Prince Albert. There were many guest speakers, such as elders, various First Nation Leadership from Cumberland House, Red Earth, Shoal Lake Muskoday, and Opaskweyak, researchers such as Dr. Strickert, and youth advocates.
The Iskwewak Indigenous Saskatchewan Women’s Environment Water Advocacy Keepers are in partnership with Our Living Waters, University of Saskatchewan and have submitted protection petitions to the Government of Canada, and applications with the United Nations Water Governance Conference in the United Arab Emirates in December.
