On March 22nd, the POLIS Water Sustainability Project co-hosted a three-part World Water Day event at the University of Victoria. The event brought together over 200 people in celebration of water and watersheds.
Water Sustainability Resource Fair
Celebrations began with a Water Sustainability Resource Fair and pizza in the Michèle Pujol Room, Student Union Building. Seventeen tables represented a diverse mix of local water champions, including community organizations, local government, campus groups, university research labs, and local businesses from across southern Vancouver Island.
Hundreds of individuals visited the fair, which created a space for networking and learning about various aspects of water stewardship and sustainability. The resource fair focused on work happening locally, allowing guests to explore how they might get involved to make a meaningful difference.
The Spirit Who Swims Film Screening
Following the resource fair, about 100 people gathered at Cinecenta theatre for a screening of the film The Spirit Who Swims (2024). This part of our World Water Day celebrations was opened by Elder Terri Barnhard from UVic’s səlxʷéyn sqʷél Elders’ Voices Program. With compassion and sincerity, she welcomed attendees to the traditional territory of the Lekwungen Peoples. She encouraged people to “do what you have to do to preserve natural plants and forests … honour all of those who do the work that they can do to bring everything back to the way it should have been.”
With beautiful storytelling and cinematography, The Spirit Who Swims is a love manifesto to Salmon, foregrounding their spiritual and material importance to Indigenous Peoples along the Fraser River. Taking us on a 1400-kilometre journey from estuary to headwaters, the film is an urgent call to rethink our relationship with the natural world. Following the path of Salmon migration, the film introduced us to Indigenous leaders all along the Fraser, who shared stories and cultural wisdom around Salmon — the spirit who swims.
Panel Dialogue
Following the film, Laura Brandes (Communications Director, POLIS) hosted a dialogue with Bev Sellars (film producer/co-director; former Chief Xatśūll Nation), Dr. Robert Clifford (Co-Academic Director, Indigenous Legal Studies, Allard School of Law, University of British Columbia), Deborah Curran (Executive Director, Environmental Law Centre, University of Victoria), and Garry Tutte (film co-director/cinematographer).
The conversation covered significant topics, including the spiritual and legal dimensions of watershed governance, the cultural importance of Salmon, the critical role of Indigenous law, and the challenges posed by climate change and other changes to local watersheds.
Dr. Robert Clifford, who is WSÁNEĆ and a member of the Tsawout First Nation, shared insight on the interconnections between Indigenous law and beliefs. “Law is a lot more than just a body or a series of rules,” said Dr. Robert Clifford. “It comes from how we see the world and our place within it, and how it is that we understand those relationships and how we uphold them. When I went to learn about our laws in SENĆOŦEN we have the word SKÁLS, which I was taught translates as both beliefs and laws and that these two things are not separate.” This way of seeing brought thought-provoking discussion to the panel.
Deborah Curran shared findings from the Environmental Law Centre (ELC) regarding the need for cumulative effects monitoring and better understanding impacts on the Fraser River. In November 2024, the ELC prepared a report for Bev Sellars, who initiated the work with ELC as part of a larger Indigenous-led initiative to protect the Fraser River.
Garry Tutte shared insight on the filming and filmmaking process and the collaborative relationship he and Bev Sellars developed through making The Spirit Who Swims. As non-Indigenous and Indigenous partners who co-produced and co-directed the film, they spoke about the need for more collaborative, place-based efforts to protect water sources.
As the dialogue drew to a close, Bev Sellars reminded attendees that, “You are not alone in this fight. There are so many people — more and more people — realizing that we all have to change the way we think, change the conversation, and turn things around … When I get discouraged, I look at my great grandchildren.”
The POLIS team extends a huge thank you to the World Water Day event co-hosts: the Environmental Law Centre, Centre for Global Studies, CIFAL Victoria, UVic Sustainability Project, and Watershed Watch Salmon Society.
