Some American Indian tribes believe that the waters of lakes, rivers, and oceans are inhabited by a mysterious people called the "Water Indians" or "Water Babies".

Meaning of the Water Symbol
The water symbol was used to indicate large stretches of water such as rivers and the ocean. Lakes were symbolized in a different way. The different forms that water might take symbolized different things. Running water was a symbol of the continuity of life and the on-going flow of time. Many Plateau Indians were reliant on rivers for their sustenance, as fish constituted their main source of food. The meaning of the water symbol was to signify the flow of life from the Earth and to chart the features of a particular area.