Bioneer, Ten years ago, one of the most compelling movements in support of Indigenous sovereignty took shape at Standing Rock. The ripples of the protests and prayers and encampments from that time are still with us today. “Mní Wičóni” (Water Is Life) remains a resounding and essential call, articulating a rallying cry in support of the rights of what truly is a water planet. Today, across the world, Indigenous Nations are continuing to transform how we understand justice — extending it beyond human laws to the living systems that sustain us. From freshwater to marine systems, from the Klamath River to the waters of the South Pacific, the Rights of Nature movement is reshaping how societies recognize the inherent rights of fish, whales, rivers, and entire oceans to exist and thrive.
This issue of The Pulse brings together powerful stories of leadership, resilience, and restoration, from Indigenous Nations advancing groundbreaking laws to families healing the waters that have long sustained them. |
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Shifting the Tides of Justice: Advancing the Rights of Fish and Aquatic MammalsIn this powerful conversation, Raynell Morris (Lummi Nation) and Juliette Jackson, JD (Klamath) share how their Nations are advancing Rights of Nature protections rooted in Indigenous law and values. From recognizing the inherent rights of salmon and orcas to ensuring ecosystems can thrive for generations to come, their work reflects a centuries-long commitment to defending the natural world as kin, not property.
Moderated by Britt Gondolfi of Bioneers, this session highlights the growing movement among Tribal Nations to integrate Indigenous worldviews into modern legal frameworks — and to restore balance between people, animals, and the waters that sustain all life. |
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When the Salmon Died: A Family’s Fight to Restore the Klamath River
For generations, the Yurok people have fought to restore the Klamath River — a lifeline for salmon, culture, and ceremony. In this powerful excerpt from her new book, The Water Remembers, Amy Bowers Cordalis (Yurok) recounts the devastating 2002 fish kill that became a turning point for her family and her Nation’s long struggle for justice.
The Klamath now flows freely again and holds legal personhood under Yurok law, allowing the river itself to be represented in court. It’s a profound shift that mirrors what Amy’s story captures so vividly: a river’s suffering intertwined with a people’s resilience, and the restoration of both.
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Tonga’s Bold Move to Grant Whales Legal Rights (Atmos)
In the Polynesian kingdom of Tonga, whales are not just wildlife — they are ancestors, deities, and kin. Now, whale and ocean advocates are working to ensure that sacred relationship is reflected in law. Ahead of Tonga’s upcoming elections, a proposed bill called Te Mana o te Tohorā (Authority of the Whale) would grant whales legal personhood, recognizing their inherent rights to exist, thrive, and be healthy.
Led by Princess Angelika Lātūfuipeka Tukuʻaho and supported by Indigenous ocean advocates across the Pacific, this effort could make Tonga the first nation in the world to legally recognize the rights of whales, reshaping global ocean conservation through ancestral knowledge and modern law.
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Featured Reading: Stop Killing the Klamath
In “Stop Killing the Klamath: Rights of Nature Protections within Tribal Jurisdictions,” Juliette Jackson (Klamath Tribes) proposes a bold new pathway for Tribal Nations to defend the sacred. By pairing the National Historic Preservation Act’s Traditional Cultural Property designation with emerging Rights of Nature frameworks, Jackson illustrates how Indigenous law and federal statutes can work together to protect life-sustaining ecosystems. Her work is both a legal innovation and a love letter to the Klamath homelands — showing how ancestral law and modern advocacy can unite to restore balance.
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Get Ready: Bioneers 2026 Registration Opens Soon
The countdown is on! Registration for the 2026 Bioneers Conference opens in early December, and you’ll want to be among the first to grab your spot. Stay tuned to your inbox for announcements, or sign up for conference alerts to get early access to tickets. |
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