Conference highlights Indigenous ties to water and land

A three-day international event brought together Indigenous scholars, students, and community researchers to highlight the vital connection between water and Indigenous communities worldwide.

The Water and Indigenous (WAI) conference, held from 12 - 14 March, welcomed delegates from Hawai’i, Native American nations, the Pacific and Aotearoa to discuss the significance of water, restoring prosperity to Indigenous communities, and the responsibility of people to protect bodies of water.

In collaboration with Project Mokiha, the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa (UH), and Te Wānanga o Waipapa (Māori Studies and Pacific Studies), the conference was held across multiple venues. These included the University’s Waipapa Marae and Fale Pasifika, Ōrākei Water Sports for wai-based learning, and Ihumātao for whenua-based learning.

On-campus wānanga centered on whakawhanaungatanga (building connections) and exploring how land and water shape Indigenous communities.

Postgraduate students from the University of Auckland and the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa also had a chance to share their research and experiences of what it means to define Indigenous scholarship.

Project Mokiha, a Robert Wood Johnson Research Project aimed at building community capacity to protect water resources and increase access to water, particularly in Hawai'i, was a key topic.

From a Native Hawaiian perspective, health is deeply rooted in spiritual and familial connections to the land, including freshwater. It's a holistic concept that encompasses the interwoven relationships between kanaka (humankind) and 'āina/kai (land/sea) - a shared perspective between Indigenous worlds.

The conference featured esteemed Indigenous keynote speakers, including Associate Professor Mapuana Antonio and Professor Troy Andrade from the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, as well as Professor Melinda Webber, Dr Emalani Case, Associate Professor Rhys Jones and Associate Professor Daniel Hikuroa from Waipapa Taumata Rau, who explored themes such as decolonisation, governance and reclaiming land and water.

Associate Professor Antonio spoke about a culture of health that extends beyond humans to all living beings.

“Health truly is relational, and what we are doing here is fostering well-being with one another. When we create authentic relationships with ourselves, we can also build them with each other, with our ‘āina, our land, and our environment,” she said.

“We are a byproduct of our kūpuna’s resilience and we must continue to put medicine into the world today for future generations.”

Professor Andrade reinforced the cultural and legal significance of water in Indigenous governance, particularly in Hawaiian traditions.

“In Hawaiian, ‘wai’ means fresh water, but when you say ‘waiwai,’ it signifies abundance,” he shared.

“Our kūpuna (ancestors) embedded their governance systems within language itself - ‘kānāwai,’ our word for law, directly relates to water. If you controlled water, you had power.”

Dr Ashlea Gillon (Ngāti Awa, Ngāpuhi, Ngāiterangi), a lecturer in the Faculty of Arts and Education, facilitated WAI. She said attendees were invited to connect with mana whenua across Tāmaki Makaurau, engaging directly with the land and water.

At Ōkahu Bay, they joined Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei for wai-based learning, experiencing water restoration efforts through paddling waka. They also visited mana whenua at Ihumātao, spending time on the whenua and learning about local restoration initiatives.

“These visits provided a powerful opportunity to deepen discussions on Indigenous connections to land and water, offering real-world perspectives on sovereignty, environmental protection and restoration,” Dr Gillon said.

For Gillon, a key highlight of the gathering was the strategic collaboration between the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa and the University of Auckland. It is what she describes as a reflection of her longstanding partnership with Associate Professor Antonio in supporting Indigenous scholarship and advocacy.

Participants also acknowledged the challenges Indigenous scholars face, particularly in politically fraught environments.

“The current political climate across the globe can make it unsafe for Indigenous Peoples to do the critical work that we are doing. This gathering provided an opportunity to connect with our relations, identify synergies, and continue working together,” says Gillon.

“It's important to host events like this, bringing together Indigenous communities to think, feel, eat, laugh, cry, and work together is hauora and mauli ola.

"Building these relationships helps us continue our kaupapa, our kuleana as Indigenous researchers, scholars, community, activists, and much more. It also provides opportunities for our new and emerging Indigenous scholars to connect, find synergies and know they are not alone.”