This article highlights the impact of Manitoba Hydro’s dams on the Nelson River and Indigenous communities. Once clear and full of life, the river is now eroded and altered. In response, five Cree Nations are working to establish an Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area (IPCA) to restore stewardship, protect the land, and preserve their culture for future generations. The IPCA is called Kitaskeenan Kaweekanawaynichikatek, which translates as “the land we want to protect.”