New zealand grants legal personhood to whanganui river after māori leaders’ decades-long campaign

In a groundbreaking legal precedent, New Zealand’s Whanganui River has become the world’s first river to be recognized as a living entity with legal rights equivalent to a human being. This historic achievement represents the culmination of a 140-year struggle by Māori communities to protect their ancestral waterway through Indigenous knowledge and legal persistence.

For Ned Tapa and other Māori leaders who have dedicated their lives to the Whanganui River, this legal recognition finally aligns with their traditional worldview. In Māori culture, the river is not merely a natural resource to be exploited or managed, but rather a sacred ancestor—a living, breathing life force that is inseparable from the people themselves. The Māori phrase “Ko au te awa, ko te awa ko au” (I am the river, and the river is me) encapsulates this profound spiritual and cultural connection.

The 2017 legislation grants the Whanganui River the same legal rights as a person, meaning it can be represented in court proceedings and have its interests legally protected. Two guardians—one appointed by the Māori iwi (tribes) and one by the government—now serve as the river’s legal voice. This innovative approach demonstrates how Indigenous knowledge systems can reshape Western legal frameworks to create more holistic environmental protection.

The Whanganui River’s legal personhood has inspired similar movements worldwide, offering a new model for environmental governance that recognizes nature’s intrinsic rights rather than treating it solely as property or resource.