22 March - World Water Day 2006: Water and Culture

Fisherman and reed boats on Lake Titicaca, Bolivia/Peru © UNESCO - P. Kruithof

Even 'still' water is constantly in motion, carrying spores, food, bacteria and life to a multitude of species. Is it any wonder that this element in perpetual motion also moves humans? If we are downstream, we watch a river to see what is happening upstream; if we are upstream, we follow the water to our downstream neighbours. In either case, we are drawn to water as we are drawn to life itself, following it and moving on it, in it and with it. By moving people, water is both a means of discovery and exploration and a motivator to movement.

Historically, water has been one of the most important methods of transportation for populations. The first crafts were probably types of canoes that were cut out from tree trunks and propelled with paddles. Later, these crafts were covered with impermeable fabrics, and later still, they were constructed using tied or sewn wooden plates. Then it was discovered that if sails were attached to the ships, these would harness wind power and the ships would go faster.

In the early days of settling, when roads were all but unheard of, inland travel was mainly done by water. The United States of America, for example, has a rich history of travel by inland waterways: some of the earliest colonists travelled up the Hudson River Valley and established townships where their work could flourish. In the same way, the banks of the Ohio River were settled by huge numbers of people, as is the case of the lower Mississippi as well.

Rivers, streams, and lakes provide access to inland territories, as well as a relatively easy means of carrying people to and from these territories. Following a water course can lead to the discovery of great wealth in terms of land and natural resources, and it can help to find settlement opportunities for towns that have outgrown their resources or need to relocate. Nomadic tribes in Africa often travel on waterways in order to find land on which to settle. Not only do rivers provide drinking water, but they also provide food in the form of fish and animals that come to drink at the shores.

Water brings life just as it can bring death. It not only brings settlers to new and fertile land, it also aids in the transportation of military resources, including people. The Danube River in Europe has been used as an important means of transporting soldiers for nearly 2,000 years. In the 200s, the river was the northern border of the Roman Empire, and Roman soldiers used it for many purposes. Years later, the Goths, Slavs, Huns and other Germanic tribes used the Danube to cross into the Roman Empire. Later, the Danube was used to gain access to Constantinople, and later, Palestine. Towards the end of the Middle Ages, the Ottoman Turks used the Danube for easier advancement into western and central Europe.