Water Memories and Traditional Environmental Knowledge in Contemporary Native American Literature: A Transatlantic Perspective

For Indigenous communities across North America, water is not just a material resource but a form of kin and a sacred responsibility. Delving into contemporary Native American poems focused on human/water relations and traditional water practices in the U.S. Southwest, this presentation contributes new insights on the representation of environmental memory and the revitalization of Indigenous knowledge towards climate change action in the 21st century. As a Valencian scholar living in an arid, water-centered landscape which was recently devastated by flash floods, I hope to draw comparative lessons that can help us restore our historical relations with water in a non-colonial, respectful, and sustainable manner.

Speaker: Anna M. Brígido-Corachán (Associate Professor of American Studies at the University of Valencia and Director of the research group LÈNA: North American Ethnic Minority Literatures in a Global Context).

Sponsor: RCCHU; University of Valencia; Harvard University.