So, despite the many strengths of the story, I'm not sure the target audience (if we are saying the target audience is children) will really come away from the story with what they truly need to be water protectors -- namely, age-appropriate, effective strategies for helping keep water clean, and protect our earth. The book ends with an "Earth Steward and Water Protector Pledge" for the child to sign and date. It's nice. But, for me, that is not getting to the core issue here which is helping children connect-the-dots to how their everyday behaviors affect the environment. I believe children are, by nature, friends of the earth and its creatures. I don't think they need much persuasion to be a "steward of the Earth and a protector of the water" -- they want to do this naturally. What they need are the tools to help them do this. They need role models, guidance, and how-to strategies. This book provides role models, which is important. And I'm glad the book shows that children can have a role in activism. But, most children reading this book are not in a position to go join a protest against the oil pipelines (which is what the child in this book does) so I think providing some concrete examples of ways children can be water protectors in their everyday life would have been great. (Especially since, sadly, the protest didn't stop the pipeline from being built and I could imagine some children coming away from the story feeling a bit lost as to what they could actually do to help.) Children need strategies that they can implement in their daily lives, even if (especially if) the adults in their lives are not environmentally aware and they need to know how choices they make have an impact (For example, learning that the single-use plastic bottle they used at lunch is connected to oil...so foregoing single-use plastic is one of the ways we can be Water Protectors.) Autumn Peltier up for Nobel children's prize". aptnnews.ca. 10 October 2017 . Retrieved 2019-01-10. Bell, F.; Dennis, Mary Kate; Brar, Glory (2022). " "Doing Hope": Ecofeminist Spirituality Provides Emotional Sustenance to Confront the Climate Crisis". Affilia. 37: 42–61. doi: 10.1177/0886109920987242. S2CID 234115149.

We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom and illustrated We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom and illustrated

Water is life" is an expression that is connected to water protectors. [5] The expression arises from the relationships that Indigenous communities have with water and other forms of life that they view as vital for their survival. [10] "Water is Life" reflects the long lasting relationships that Indigenous communities have with water and what water protectors are fighting for. "Water is Life" does not just represent the need for Indigenous peoples access to clean water, but represents how water is used in ceremony and the important role water plays in their belief systems. [11] As Potawatomi philosopher Kyle Powys Whyte explains, the idea that "water is life" is based in "Indigenous governance systems that support cultural integrity, economic vitality, and political self-determination and the capacity to shift and adjust to the dynamics of ecosystems." [10] Land protectors face criminal charges for defending water, food, culture – TheIndependent.ca". 2017-03-18 . Retrieved 2019-01-10. In Ojibwe culture, women are the protectors of the water and men are the protectors of the fire. Perhaps it is for that reason that I felt compelled to speak for the water through this story. Humans have been missed treating Mother Earth for millennia, and Indigenous Peoples have long acted as stewards of the planet, giving a voice to our silent home. In this tribute to Native resilience, Indigenous author-and-illustrator team Lindstrom and Goade invite readers to stand up for environmental justice.Whyte, Kyle Powys (2013). "Justice Forward: Tribes, Climate Adaptation and Responsibility". Climatic Change. 120 (3): 117–130. Bibcode: 2013ClCh..120..517W. doi: 10.1007/s10584-013-0743-2. S2CID 149453106.

We Are Water Protectors TeachingBooks | We Are Water Protectors

The Stop Line 3 protests are an ongoing series of demonstrations in the U.S. state of Minnesota against the expansion of Enbridge's Line 3 oil pipeline along a new route. Over 800 water protectors were arrested between August 2020 and September 2021. [32] L'eau Est La Vie camp (Bayou Bridge Pipeline) [ edit ]Water protectors are similar to land defenders, but are distinguished from other environmental activists by this philosophy and approach that is rooted in an indigenous cultural perspective that sees water and the land as sacred. [3] [4] This relationship with water moves beyond simply having access to clean drinking water, and comes from the beliefs that water is necessary for life and that water is a relative and therefore it must be treated with respect. [5] As such, the reasons for protection of water are older, more holistic, and integrated into a larger cultural and spiritual whole than in most modern forms of environmental activism, which may be more based in seeing water and other extractive resources as commodities. [6] [7] Inspired by the many Indigenous-led movements across North America, We Are Water Protectors issues an urgent rallying cry to safeguard the Earth's water from harm and corruption-- a bold and lyrical picture book written by Carole Lindstrom and vibrantly illustrated by Michaela Goade. For some it starts at an early age. We are taught by our parents, grandparents or adult mentors, to nurture and care for Earth in her entirety. For me it was my father. We spent early morning and evening hours in summer on the lakes and rivers fishing. He taught me to watch the weather, the time of day and how fish might think. We walked for miles in the woods in autumn during bow hunting season. To and from our spot, he was always whispering to me about the various trees and plants and how to look for signs left by all animals. (On our hunting trips, an animal never lost its life in our presence. There is a reason for this, but that's another story.)