nder the Radar is a weekly special series bringing you compelling, under–the–radar stories from around the world, one region at a time. This week in the Americas, the leader of Peru’s Kukama Kukamira Indigenous people was recognized for decades of work to protect the Marañon River—a mainstream source of the Amazon River. Other noteworthy under–the–radar stories from the region include a midwifery crisis in Brazil, an ancient relative of quinoa saving the day in Bolivia, and a remarkable archaeological discovery in Canada.
Mari Luz Canaquiri Murayari, an Indigenous leader of the Kukama Kukamira people of Peru, has been awarded one of six prestigious 2025 Goldman Environmental Prizes. Canaquiri won the award for her decades of work convincing Peru’s government to grant the Marañon River legal personhood.
The Kukama Kuamira people see the Marañon River, a mainstream source of the Amazon River, as a living entity where the spirits of their ancestors reside. Despite the Kukama Kuamira’s reverence for the river, oil spills have been common, with over 60 recorded to have impacted the river from 1997 through 2019, mostly due to lack of maintenance by the state–owned pipeline operator. Murayari took action in 2000, after a major spill of the North Peruvian Pipeline.
The river isn’t just sacred to the Kukama Kuamira, but fundamental to their existence—it being their primary source of freshwater. With an eye toward protecting her people’s cultural heritage and their access to freshwater, Canaquiri created the Huaynakana Kamatahuara Kana Federation, a group of women from 29 Indigenous communities. This federation ran letter–writing campaigns, demanded action from authorities, and mobilized to save the river.
The federation sued the Peruvian government in 2021, fighting for the right of the Marañon River to be free–flowing without contamination—and treated as a living entity. Fortunately for Canaquiri’s cause, the Colombian Constitutional Court ruled the Atrato River a living entity in a landmark 2016 case. The Peruvian government also recognized in 2017 that nature has value beyond its relationship with people and thus should be afforded rights for its protection. But despite these legal precedents, Canaquiri fought an uphill battle, as the Peruvian government tried to silence her by filing criminal complaints against her. Still, Canaquiri’s federation continued to fight, and the Loreto Superior Court of Justice eventually recognized the Marañon River’s rights as a living entity, entrusting its guardianship to the Kukama Kuamira people.
Canaquiri is still active as an environmentalist and a feminist, continuing to advocate for and support women in positions of power, and she is outspoken against domestic violence and discrimination.
Unfortunately, even as Canaquiri has been recognized for her incredible efforts, the Peruvian government passed a controversial anti–NGO law in March 2025. Thus, groups and federations like Canaquiri’s will struggle to have their voices heard and recognized by the government.
Here are some other under–the–radar stories from across the Americas:
- In Brazil’s remote villages, traditional midwives are an essential part of life—but government policies make it difficult for these midwives to operate successfully.
- On one of Bolivia’s high plateaus, Altiplano, the climate crisis has drastically affected harvests, but an ancient relative of quinoa may provide a solution.
- Canada found the tooth of the oldest known woolly mammoth in North America.
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Indigenous leader wins Goldman prize for efforts to protect Amazon
Image courtesy of cliff hellis via Flickr. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
May 9, 2025
Diplomatic Courier’s Stephanie Gull brings you weekly under–the–radar stories from around the world. This week in the Americas: An indigenous leader in Peru receives the 2025 Goldman prize for her efforts to protect one of the Amazon River’s primary source rivers.
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nder the Radar is a weekly special series bringing you compelling, under–the–radar stories from around the world, one region at a time. This week in the Americas, the leader of Peru’s Kukama Kukamira Indigenous people was recognized for decades of work to protect the Marañon River—a mainstream source of the Amazon River. Other noteworthy under–the–radar stories from the region include a midwifery crisis in Brazil, an ancient relative of quinoa saving the day in Bolivia, and a remarkable archaeological discovery in Canada.
Mari Luz Canaquiri Murayari, an Indigenous leader of the Kukama Kukamira people of Peru, has been awarded one of six prestigious 2025 Goldman Environmental Prizes. Canaquiri won the award for her decades of work convincing Peru’s government to grant the Marañon River legal personhood.
The Kukama Kuamira people see the Marañon River, a mainstream source of the Amazon River, as a living entity where the spirits of their ancestors reside. Despite the Kukama Kuamira’s reverence for the river, oil spills have been common, with over 60 recorded to have impacted the river from 1997 through 2019, mostly due to lack of maintenance by the state–owned pipeline operator. Murayari took action in 2000, after a major spill of the North Peruvian Pipeline.
The river isn’t just sacred to the Kukama Kuamira, but fundamental to their existence—it being their primary source of freshwater. With an eye toward protecting her people’s cultural heritage and their access to freshwater, Canaquiri created the Huaynakana Kamatahuara Kana Federation, a group of women from 29 Indigenous communities. This federation ran letter–writing campaigns, demanded action from authorities, and mobilized to save the river.
The federation sued the Peruvian government in 2021, fighting for the right of the Marañon River to be free–flowing without contamination—and treated as a living entity. Fortunately for Canaquiri’s cause, the Colombian Constitutional Court ruled the Atrato River a living entity in a landmark 2016 case. The Peruvian government also recognized in 2017 that nature has value beyond its relationship with people and thus should be afforded rights for its protection. But despite these legal precedents, Canaquiri fought an uphill battle, as the Peruvian government tried to silence her by filing criminal complaints against her. Still, Canaquiri’s federation continued to fight, and the Loreto Superior Court of Justice eventually recognized the Marañon River’s rights as a living entity, entrusting its guardianship to the Kukama Kuamira people.
Canaquiri is still active as an environmentalist and a feminist, continuing to advocate for and support women in positions of power, and she is outspoken against domestic violence and discrimination.
Unfortunately, even as Canaquiri has been recognized for her incredible efforts, the Peruvian government passed a controversial anti–NGO law in March 2025. Thus, groups and federations like Canaquiri’s will struggle to have their voices heard and recognized by the government.
Here are some other under–the–radar stories from across the Americas:
- In Brazil’s remote villages, traditional midwives are an essential part of life—but government policies make it difficult for these midwives to operate successfully.
- On one of Bolivia’s high plateaus, Altiplano, the climate crisis has drastically affected harvests, but an ancient relative of quinoa may provide a solution.
- Canada found the tooth of the oldest known woolly mammoth in North America.
