Debajehmujig Theatre hosted a screening of the documentary There’s Something in the Water, prompting urgent local discussions on environmental racism and the ongoing struggle for safe water access.
MANITOWANING—The 2019 documentary, ‘There’s Something in the Water,’ based on the book of the same name by Ingrid R. G. Waldron, was presented at the Debajehmujig Theatre on Monday afternoon, June 29. The presentation was co-sponsored by Debajehmujig Creation Centre, Manitoulin Nature Club and Jan McQuay. However, it was Ms. McQuay who worked to get permission to show the film publicly; to pay the US fees required, and to find just the right location for its viewing. Ms. McQuay felt it was important to bring this film to the public’s attention and worked hard to make it happen.
Finding a location was not easy. She did not need a large space, but Wi-Fi was essential, eliminating most church halls. When she approached Debaj, they were all in, and finally, everything fell into place.
‘There’s Something in the Water’ deals with ‘environmental racism,’ a term new to many viewing the film that day. Though environmental racism may be new to some, its meaning is quite literal, referring to discrimination minorities face in their fight against toxic levels of pollution in their communities. The documentary traces the environmental catastrophes common in many remote, low income and often Indigenous and Black communities, where factories or waste sites are often placed. The film highlighted three separate locations in Nova Scotia where the communities were fighting officials over the deadly effects of industrial waste. It focused on the Black and Indigenous women in these communities who fought to protect their families, their land, and their future. It ends on a semi-positive note, with the provincial government promising to clean things up.
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