The Whanganui River now has legal rights the same as a person. For 140 years the Māori Whanganui iwi (tribe) has been negotiating for the Whanganui River to be recognised as their ancestor. In what’s thought to be a world first, the New Zealand Parliament has finally agreed that the Whanganui is a ‘living entity’. Local iwi spokesperson, Gerrard Albert, explains the significance of the decision. We also hear from Whaia Shelley Emia, a Māori woman of Ngati Kahungunu descent, as she explains the Māori connection to water and offers non-indigenous people advice for reconnecting with culture and the elements.