The First Guardians of Life Book Has Arrived!
I am amazed to see the first printed copy of my new book, Guardians of Life: Indigenous Science, Indigenous Wisdom, and Restoring the Planet. This one was a prototype, being hand-stitched, but it’s the final printing and it looks amazing. Everyone (aka everyone at the publisher Braided River) is over the moon to see it.
The official launch date, when the final copies will be shipped, is February 15, 2026.
This project started 8 years ago, became an entire issue of National Geographic Magazine, and now is a book. And I must say the book version is by far the best one, with the writing of over two dozen Indigenous contributors!
Guardians of Life: Indigenous Science, Indigenous Wisdom and Restoring the Planet, takes readers on an extraordinary visual odyssey—from the Amazon rainforest to Greenland’s sea ice—revealing Indigenous communities as Earth’s most powerful protectors.
This stunning volume, published by Braided River, is powered by the collective wisdom of more than two dozen Indigenous voices, including activist Quannah Chasinghorse and Palauan statesman Tommy Remengesau Jr. Their expertise is brought forward through National Geographic photojournalist Kiliii Yüyan’s striking imagery, the editorial mastery of bestselling author (1491) Charles Mann, and writer Gleb Raygorodetsky’s insights.
Together, this collection of powerful images and stories proves how traditional knowledge and modern innovation unite to safeguard the planet. Witness profound stewardship in action: from Mongolia’s sacred peaks to Palau’s coral reefs, where ancient wisdom drives cutting-edge conservation.
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Ulensi, big love to you all, and happy holidays.