Rivers are a great example. The Maori peoples of the Whanganui River in New Zealand view their ancestral river, Te Awa Tupua, as an indivisible whole, encompassing its tributaries and all physical and metaphysical elements from mountain to sea. This basin-wide approach ensures that all the waterways that form the Whanganui River are viewed and managed, not in isolation, but treating the entire river as a connected ecosystem. together.
In the United States, and especially the Colorado River Basin where I grew up, we make laws that cut down our rivers without much regard for their health. These laws divide our rivers in half between upper and lower basins, separate groundwater from surface waters, and divide tributaries — slicing them into distributions measured in cubic meters to take. We take control of our rivers, damming and redirecting their flow to water our crops and provide us with electricity. This approach leads to over-allocation, poor water quality, and drained rivers.
Historical Origins
The American view of nature as a “property” is long-lasting and profound – and can be traced back to the perspective of colonial settlers. Over the past 175 years, federal policies have systematically disrupted the traditional lifestyles of 30 tribes with historical ties to the Colorado River Basin. In the mid to late 1800s, many river tribes were confined to small sanctuaries, and in some cases were forced to leave their ancestral homes, breaking their ties to their offspring. river as their original custodians.
A similar colonial history is shared with the Maori. In New Zealand, more than a century of discipline, regulation and government action has also divided the Whanganui River, diverting its watershed, building hydroelectric dams that block its flow and threaten its health. Since 1873, the local Maori people have sought to gain legal protection for the Whanganui River, catalyzing “one of the longest-running trials in New Zealand”.
All that changed five years ago when New Zealand’s parliament passed unprecedented legislation granting ‘personal rights’ to the country’s Whanganui River. In contrast to US law that defines nature as property, legal status recognizes the river’s rights to be healthy and protected from harm. It is also the framework by which the innate relationship of Rivers for people and people for rivers was featured.
The Te Awa Tupua (Whanganui River Complaints Settlement) Act of 2017 also established the Te Pou Tupua office, consisting of two people – one of whom is Matua Turama Hawira – who act as the face and voice of the river .
Learn from the world
The victory achieved by the Maori iwi (tribe) over the Te Awa Tupua (river of ancestors) inspired me to bring in tribal leaders representing the four tribes from my home state of Arizona, Aotearoa (New Zealand) in 2020 to meet with the Whanganui River iwi for an intercultural exchange.
The path to the Whanganui River weaves its way through the verdant forests that surround the river’s sparkling waters, contrasting sharply with the red earth and towering rock formations of our desert home. We arrived at Hiruhārama Marae, a traditional meeting place nestled on a bend in the river, where, when we first met, Turama, along with the local Māori community, welcomed us like family.
We spent the next three days on the river, completely immersed in the culture and customs of our new relationships. We stood before Te Awa Tupua and bowed our heads in reverence as our Maori guides acknowledged the river’s spiritual powers with prayer and supplication. We cupped the river’s flow and blessed it. It is a sensory experience; one of love, connection and awe. Our relationship as one with the river has begun.
As desert dwellers, that is the longest time many of us have been in and around so many countries. For centuries, our rivers in Arizona have been perennial. Today, their flow is at best discontinuous. Over the past hundred years, water laws and policies have allowed seven states to legally use more water from the Colorado River Basin. To make matters worse, rising temperatures and drought have exacerbated the problem, drying up watersheds and eroding tributary flows. The last time the Colorado River emptied into the sea unimpeded was in 1963. The shortage forced the federal government to take the unprecedented step of cutting off the water. More than 40 million people and nearly 4 million acres of crops in the United States and Mexico now depend on a rapidly dwindling water supply.
Heal Our Rivers And Protect Our Health
We are at a critical juncture where an innovative approach is needed to guide water resource management; one that regenerates our rivers from mountains to seas and ensures a future where our rivers are healthy and have access to clean water sure for future generations.
It starts with changing the way we relate to and think about our rivers.
We must begin by treating our rivers as interconnected living systems that include not only physical elements but also metaphysical ones. We must approach our rivers with respect and care for them the same way we protect and care for our families. Only then will our water use decisions be responsible and contribute to the vitality and longevity of our rivers.
In essence, we must prioritize river health in our decision-making at the national, state, and local levels. If we make changes now, we can heal our rivers – and protect our own health. Tribal States, the original custodians of many of our natural resources, can show us how and the path to a more sustainable future.
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