In numerous geographies, colonial states use hydropower as part of their infrastructure supplying the settler economy, while further dispossessing Indigenous peoples from their land. The following text written by Ron Reed and Alaa Suliman Hamid describes how the commonality of this experience from Káruk country to Nubia allows them to learn from each other’s struggles and political victories, and to construct forms of solidarity.
We met at the Indigenous Science event at the University of Oregon, where Ron was a keynote speaker discussing the role of Indigenous science in resisting settler colonialism and the ecological work he has been conducting within his nation. The event coincided with the incredible news that hundreds of salmon were spawning in creeks upstream of the former Iron Gate Dam for the first time in over 100 years—a direct result of decades of activism, advocacy, and leadership from Indigenous communities, including Ron’s lifelong work. After enjoying a beautifully cooked piece of Chinook salmon (caught by Ron and shared with the audience) we engaged in a conversation about the landscape architecture studio Alaa is teaching, which focuses on settler colonialism and ecology, as an extension of the research working on the Nile Basin. We quickly realized we share an unbreakable bond with our rivers and lands, a deep-rooted sense of Indigenous identity, and a shared spirit of resistance.