The Wisdom of Water: From the Andes to the Great Lakes

The Wisdom of Water: From the Andes to the Great Lakes is part of EarthFest 2026, a series of events hosted by the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison that brings together scholars, practitioners, and communities to explore environmental challenges and solutions. Across the Americas, cultures developed deep knowledge of water because survival depended on it. From the mountain canals of the Andes to the lakes of Wisconsin, water shaped where people lived, how they farmed, how they traveled, and how communities worked together. Today, as climate change and water scarcity challenge societies around the world, that knowledge offers important lessons for the future. This symposium explores how cultures across the Western Hemisphere have understood, managed, and honored water as both a practical necessity and a sacred presence. The event brings together scholars, Indigenous leaders, and practitioners to examine how water has shaped civilizations and how these traditions can inform modern approaches to environmental stewardship. The program is a collaboration between the Nelson Institute’s Center for Culture, History, and the Environment (CHE) and Mundo Esperanza, highlighting Indigenous knowledge and cross-cultural perspectives on water stewardship from the Andes to the Great Lakes The Wisdom of Water-Earthfest Program Information-April 8