Summary
On January 8, 2026, the Council of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians passed the Longperson Rights of Nature Resolution, legally recognizing the Longperson, an interconnected water system stretching over 790 miles, as a living relative with the right to exist, flourish, regenerate, and flow freely.
Jurisprudential Framing
The resolution states that “in Cherokee tradition, the waterways are known as the Longperson, a living, conscious being whose head begins in the mountains and whose feet stretch to the sea. The Longperson is a sacred presence, offering life, guidance, healing, and protection to our people.” The Cherokee have always understood Longperson is more than a river. Cherokee youth are raised in a relationship with Longperson based on reciprocity, knowing it nourishes and heals their communities and relies on the Cherokee to protect it. The resolution reflects this relational worldview by uplifting the role of youth and community in protecting waterways that are essential to cultural life, ecological health, and intergenerational wellbeing.
It resolution also states that the recognition and protection of the rights of the Longperson is a necessary step toward achieving environmental sustainability and safeguarding the health, culture, and prosperity of future generations. It speaks to the increasing threats of climate change on future generations, noting that the recent devastation from Hurricane Helene demonstrates that the Longperson and the Eastern Band of Cherokee are not immune to climate change impacts.
Background
The Longperson Resolution was advanced by the National American Indian Women’s Association (NAIWA) Daughters, and co-sponsored by the Cherokee Youth Council, who presented it to the Tribal Council on December 17, 2025. Over 18 months, the Cherokee youth gained Rights of Nature knowledge through national forums and collaborations. They sat with elders, cultural knowledge holders, tribal departments, and community to conduct research, lead public education, and draft legislation grounded in Cherokee values, sovereignty, and responsibility.
The NAIWA Daughters is a youth-led organization that empowers young Indigenous women through leadership, advocacy, and community engagement. NAIWA Daughters is an extension of the broader NAIWA organization, and is open to Indigenous girls 10-18. The group received support from Movement Rights (an Indigenous and women-led organization advancing Indigenous Rights of Nature), and the Bioneers Native Youth Ambassador program, which provided funding, educational resources, travel scholarships, and networking opportunities.
Impact Statement
The resolution is the second Indigenous youth-drafted Rights of Nature law in the USA, and the first all-female-led effort. It’s adoption gives rights to the first waterway east of the Mississippi River, and revives cultural law while bringing Indigenous values into modern governance. The resolution commits to advocacy efforts for further recognition of Longperson rights. NAIWA Daughters is also calling for the creation of a Tribal Rights of Nature Task Force to guide implementation and ensure community voices are engaged in the Longperson protection.
Involved Organizations
Related Initiatives
Suggested Citation:
Kauffman, Craig, Catherine Haas, Alex Putzer, Shrishtee Bajpai, Kelsey Leonard, Elizabeth Macpherson, Pamela Martin, Alessandro Pelizzon & Linda Sheehan. Eco Jurisprudence Monitor. V2. 2025. Distributed by the Eco Jurisprudence Monitor.https://ecojurisprudence.org/initiatives/eastern-band-of-cherokee-usa-tribal-resolution-rights-of-the-longperson-watersytem/.
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