Celebrating the rights of the world's Indigenous peoples and their struggles, achievements, and contributions to our world and our Earth.
Indigenous people are the original inhabitants of a place. Indigenous peoples are also called First Nations people, aboriginal people or Native peoples, such as "Native Americans."
Films about Indigenous Peoples
These heroes tell their stories about their fight for justice and respect for the rights of Indigenous peoples.
Since 1996, Amazon Watch has partnered with indigenous and environmental organizations in campaigns for human rights, corporate accountability, and the preservation of the Amazon's ecological systems.
"What happens when a story is forgotten? I'm making a film about my dad, Gary Wiski-ge-amatyuk, my family, and what it means to be Native American today."
Berta Cáceres rallied her indigenous Lenca people to wage a grassroots protest that successfully pressured the government of Honduras and the world's largest dam builder to withdraw from building the Agua Zarca Dam.
Watch this excerpt by student filmmaker Camille Manybeads TSO, proud to walk in the footsteps of her ancestors.
Art about Indigenous Heroes
Historically, Indigenous art has been centered around storytelling. Land, events, people, and beliefs are central themes. These themes are culturally significant because they educate people about community and nature.
In the coming-of-age Hamatsa ceremony, a boy on the verge of manhood is "kidnapped" and becomes wild and uncontrollable, and then the community brings the boy back to "humanity." In our modern urban reality, this concept is still very important for our youth.
Stories about Indigenous Heroes
Reading about important Indigenous peoples brings the significance of their work into everyday consciousness, whether they fight for themselves, their land, or their right to participate freely in society.
Berta Cáceres was a native Lenca environmental and human rights advocate. The Lenca are indigenous to parts of Honduras and El Salvador and have inhabited the region for thousands of years.
Rigoberta Menchú Tum, winner of the 1992 Nobel Peace Prize, became involved with various groups in their struggle for the indigenous people out of personal conviction and sense of justice. [This story is also available in Spanish.]
Cathy Freeman is a former Olympic sprinter and the first Australian indigenous person to become a gold medalist at the Commonwealth Games.
Great for ESL students and the visually impaired! Listen and Read Along Stories.
Read about filmmaker Will Parrinello's work with Goldman Prize award-winning environmental activists in the Amazon.
Check out more resources listed by region
![]() |
Short films curated by MY HERO International Film Festival director Wendy Milette. |
![]() |
Hero Stories curated by MY HERO General Editors Deborah Neff and Abigail Richardson. |
Organizer created on 10/9/2017 10:56:10 AM by MY HERO Staff
Last edited 7/12/2023 2:22:07 PM by Abigail Richardson