Mari Luz Canaquiri Murayari - Rights of Rivers

Articles/Websites

Grades6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12Civics

Scientist Reviewed

Provided by Goldman Environmental Foundation

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What it is

This resource introduces Goldman Environmental Prize winner Mari Luz Canaquiri Murayari and tells her story of protecting the Marañón River in Peru.
Students will learn about the pollution resulting from oil spills into the river, its impacts on the health of people and animals in the area, and how Mari Luz and the rest of the Kukama women's association, Asociación de Mujeres Huaynakana Kamatahuara Kana, worked to get the river legal personhood, retaining its right to stay clean and free-flowing.

Teaching tips

Positives

This story is an excellent example of the importance of women's voices.
Many students will find the environmental law aspects of this story intriguing.

Prerequisites

Teachers may need to explain what free-flowing means in this context.

Differentiation & Implementation

This guide from the Goldman Environmental Foundation is a companion resource with note-taking guides, activities, and questions that can be implemented with any of the videos for the prize winners.
To make geography connections, teachers can have students identify the Marañón River on a map and discuss its geographic importance.
Teachers can use this story to explain the interconnectedness between the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation, SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being, and SDG 14: Life Below Water.
The article briefly mentions the Kakuma people's connection to the river. Students can explore this connection and use what they learn and what they know to construct a definition of the word steward.

From the scientist review

This resource highlights the efforts of one woman to gain rights of nature protection for the Marañón River in Peru. Environmental justice and Indigenous peoples’ rights are woven through the entire article. This resource is recommended for teaching.

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At a glance

Grades: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Subjects: Civics
Other types: Videos
Language: English, Spanish
Location: South America
Provider: Goldman Environmental Foundation
Authors: The Goldman Environmental Prize
Published: August 7, 2025
Last updated: July 16, 2026
: Reviewed by our climate scientists How we review

Standards alignment · D2.Civ.12.9-12 + 6 more

Core

College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Standards

D2.Civ.12.9-12Analyze how people use and challenge local, state, national, and international laws to address a variety of public issues.

Maine Climate Education Hub

English Language Arts

SL.6-8.2Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats, including point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric.
R.6-8.5Provide an accurate summary of various texts; determine the central idea(s) or theme(s) and analyze its development throughout each text.
R.9-12.7Interpret words and phrases as they are used in various texts, including determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone.

Social Studies

Civics& Government 2 (F1): Students understand constitutional and legal rights, civic duties and responsibilities, and roles of citizens in a constitutional democracy by explaining the constitutional and legal status of "citizen" and provide examples of rights, duties, and responsibilities of citizens.
Civics& Government 1 (D1): Students understand the ideals, purposes, principles, structures, and processes of constitutional government in the United States and in the American political system, as well as examples of other forms of government and political systems in the world by evaluating and comparing the relationship of citizens with government in the United States and other regions of the world.
Geography2 (F1): Students understand geographic aspects of unity and diversity in Maine, the United States, and various world cultures, including Maine Native Americans, by explaining how geographic features have impacted unity and diversity in Maine, the United States, and other nations.

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