Glen’s take · Why we chose this story
A true story, researched by hand and told with AI.
Primary source ohneganos.com
Open the original on ohneganos.comThe read Glen’s take, in his words
On September 26, 2022, at the First Americans Museum in Oklahoma City, Dawn Martin-Hill was awarded the University of Oklahoma International Water Prize. That evening, she gave the plenary address. Source · ohneganos.com
She is a Haudenosaunee woman and a cultural anthropologist, now Professor Emeritus at McMaster University. She lives on Six Nations of the Grand River, in Ontario. The prize recognized her commitment to improving water security for the people of Six Nations.
For her, this is not abstract. In her words: "I lived with my kids in a home that had no running water and I can tell you: When your water runs out, everything stops."
She has also said: "Our entire way of life is governed by water. It is spiritual, it is cultural, it is our identity."
So she leads Ohneganos, a water research program built from two community-driven projects. Its teams bring together Elders, youth, biologists, scientists and engineers, and they put Indigenous knowledge and Western science to work side by side.
One story stays with me. Elders suggested testing Six Nations turtles for mercury. A leading biologist found that the turtles are, in fact, a reliable measure of contamination. The knowledge was already there. Science had to listen.
The work has included tap water testing, water sensors, turtle tagging, a Haudenosaunee Science resource book, digital stories and podcasts. And she makes room for young people. "I try to get out of the way," she says, "and let young people step forward."
Her challenge to science is direct: "I think science needs to change. It needs to take the initiative and incorporate Indigenous knowledge."
What I respect is where the direction comes from. Not from outside looking in, but from a community that knows its own water. As she put it, "It's time for us to be in the driver's seat."
This is why we're making space for Dr. Dawn Martin-Hill in the I Drink Living Water Research Library.
Read the research, and Ohneganos' own sources, on the I Drink Living Water research page.
Questions answered from this page
Why did Glen Kerby choose this story?
I chose Dawn Martin-Hill because she lives the question she studies. She has said that when your water runs out, everything stops, and she built research where Elders and young people help lead, not just take part. The turtle story is the one I keep coming back to: the knowledge was already there, and science had to listen.
Where can I read the original?
It was published by ohneganos.com as “Ohneganos”, at https://www.ohneganos.com/.
What is Glen Kerby’s take?
On September 26, 2022, at the First Americans Museum in Oklahoma City, Dawn Martin-Hill was awarded the University of Oklahoma International Water Prize. That evening, she gave the plenary address. She is a Haudenosaunee woman and a cultural anthropologist, now Professor Emeritus at McMaster University.
Go to the source their work, in full
“Ohneganos”
Published by ohneganos.com. Read it where it was reported.
