Résumé
“Water is the link” is an expression often heard during the interviews conducted in New Caledonia. Certain water places, such as springs, water holes and caves, are particularly meaningful for Kanak people and characterised by various uses. Understanding what they represent, how the inhabitants name them, describe them, and finally how they have been used and managed from the past to the present is a key step in thinking about water policies in New Caledonia. This chapter describes the diversity of values accorded to these water places, the assemblages of human and non-human actors they participate in, as well as the rules of use that apply to them. Focusing on recent surveys conducted among the inhabitants of Maré in the Loyalty Islands and Thio on the east coast of Grande Terre, we will analyse in particular the evolution of practices and norms with regard to freshwater supply sites, whether they are completely natural, partially or fully developed: water holes, caves, water springs and water cisterns. This chapter will show that a good understanding of these links is essential for designing a water policy acknowledging and integrating the diversity of ways of understanding and managing water in New Caledonia.