Understanding Anishinaabek G'giikendaaswinmin (knowledge) on N'bi (water), Naaknigewin (law) and Nokomis Giizis (Grandmother Moon) in the Great Lakes Territory for Water Governance

• Main Author: Susan Anne Bell Chiblow
• Other Authors: Deborah McGregor
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: 2022
• Subjects: Environmental law; Indigenous; women; law; moon; water; reconciliation; governance; relationships; responsibilities; Anishinaabek; water governance; knowledge; Great Lakes; Anishinaabek research paradigm; Canada; anishina*
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10315/40456

The Canadian settler state lacks a gender balance in Nbi governance and decision making. Little documentation articulates Anishinaabek understandings of reconciliation and how reconciliation can assist with reconciling different legal orders and governance structures which includes Nokomis Giizis (grandmother moon). Drawing on Anishinaabek from the Great Lakes territory, this research explores how does Anishinaabek law construct the role of women in Nbi decision making; can the broader discourse in Canada about reconciliation assist with improving humanitys relationship to Nbi; how can the concept of reconciliation assist with reconciling different legal orders, and governance structures; what are the relationships and responsibilities between Anishinaabek and Nokomis Giizis and how can these relationships inform Nbi governance including womens roles. This study utilized an Anishinaabek Research Paradigm (ARP) that employs Indigenous Intelligence as a conceptual framework for qualitative Anishinaabek analysis of data throughout the study. Ggiikendaaswinmin shared through conversations, key informants and a focus group are provided into three separate manuscripts. Manuscript One: Indigenous Water Governance: Anishinaabek naaknigewin (law) Constructs the Role of Anishinaabek kweok (women) in Nbi (water) Decision Making supports and expands on existing literature of kweok as Nbi carriers with roles and responsibilities to and specific knowledge of Nbi. It demonstrates that men have a role in Nbi governance and reveals how Anishinaabek naaknigewin constructs the role of kweok in Nbi decision making. Manuscript Two: Nbi Can Teach us about Reconciliation demonstrates how Nbi can teach humanity about reconciliation which could address environmental conflict. It reveals that Anishinaabek understanding of reconciliation is different than mainstream society and is about relationships between Anishinaabek and non-Indigenous but also about relationships with Nbi. Manuscript Three: Relationships and Responsibilities between ...