The River Is in Us: Fighting Toxics in a Mohawk Community

The River Is in Us examines the impact of industrial pollution on the Akwesasne Mohawk community, whose lands span the St. Lawrence River at the intersection of New York, Ontario and Quebec. The book documents how PCB contamination from nearby factories affected the health, culture, and traditional foodways of the Mohawk people. Through interviews and field research, Elizabeth Hoover chronicles the community's fight for environmental justice and their efforts to conduct their own health studies. She follows Akwesasne residents as they work to understand the connections between toxins, their bodies, and their environment. The narrative tracks both the scientific research process and the ways traditional ecological knowledge informed the community's response to contamination. Hoover details the partnerships between Mohawk community members, scientists, and health researchers who collaborated to study exposure patterns and health impacts. This account offers insights into indigenous environmental justice, community-based participatory research, and the complex relationships between human health and environmental contamination. The book demonstrates how environmental threats to indigenous communities are simultaneously scientific, cultural, and political challenges.

Readers appreciate the book's detailed examination of the intersection between environmental justice, Indigenous rights, and community health activism. Multiple reviewers note the thorough research methods and Hoover's respectful approach to working with the Akwesasne Mohawk community. Readers highlight the book's exploration of traditional ecological knowledge and its clear explanation of complex scientific concepts about environmental contamination. Some readers found the academic writing style dense and noted repetition in certain chapters. A few mentioned wanting more personal stories from community members. Ratings: Goodreads: 4.33/5 (15 ratings) Amazon: 5/5 (7 ratings) One academic reviewer wrote: "The attention to research methodologies and community partnerships makes this valuable for environmental studies scholars." A community reader noted: "The book shows how Indigenous people can lead scientific research while maintaining cultural values."

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🌿 The book explores how PCB contamination from factories along the St. Lawrence River directly impacted traditional Mohawk fishing practices and cultural food ways, which had sustained the community for generations. 🏥 Author Elizabeth Hoover spent nearly two decades conducting research and interviews with the Akwesasne Mohawk community, building long-term relationships that allowed for deep, trust-based storytelling. ⚖️ The Akwesasne Mohawk fought a landmark environmental justice case against General Motors, resulting in one of the largest settlements between a Native American tribe and an industrial polluter. 🔬 The community pioneered a unique blend of Western scientific research methods and Indigenous knowledge, creating their own environmental health studies and research programs. 🗣️ The book's title comes from a quote by Mohawk midwife Katsi Cook, expressing how environmental toxins literally become part of the community's bodies through their connection to the river and its fish.