Join us at Riverfest 2025 for a special documentary exploring our rivers and First Nations’ deep spiritual connection to water.

I Am The River, The River Is Me follows a powerful five-day canoe journey along the Whanganui River in Aotearoa/New Zealand, led by Māori elder and river guardian Ned Tapa. He is joined by an Australian First Nations Elder and his daughter, activists working to save their own threatened river back home.

For the Māori, the Whanganui is not just water but a living ancestor, deeply connected to their identity and culture. In 2017, this belief was recognised in law, making the Whanganui the first river in the world to be granted legal personhood. This landmark decision reflects a different way of caring for the environment, one that values protection, respect, and intergenerational responsibility.

Through moving conversations and breathtaking landscapes, the film invites us to reflect on our own relationship with rivers and the natural world. It is both a spiritual journey and a call to action, encouraging us to move beyond ownership and use, towards care and guardianship.

Accessibility

In English

Wheelchair accessible

Companion Card accepted

Assistive Hearing system available (FM)

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