Guest contributor: Katherine Bloom O’Connell
Beneath the streets of Manhattan and the Museum of Modern Art, over 400 guests found themselves on a journey with the Achuar people along the Kapawi River in Ecuador—home for over 1,000 Indigenous peoples, and one of the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet.
Amidst the bustle of Climate Week in New York—sidestepping the urgent chatter of the city above—the Honnold Foundation and Kara Solar offered a quiet refuge, inviting the audience to witness River of the Spirits, a film by the Tawna Collective that intricately weaves tradition, technology, and the heartbeat of the Amazon rainforest.
The evening, marked by conversations with Honnold Foundation Founder Alex Honnold and activists Nina Gualinga and Bill McKibben, alongside messages from Nantu Canelos, Executive Director of Kara Solar, was a reminder that solutions to the climate crisis can be found in the advocacy, stewardship, and stories of Indigenous peoples across the world. Mining, deforestation, and cultural devastation are not inevitable. In a world teetering between ecological collapse and hope, the Achuar show a vibrant way forward where ancient wisdom and modern technology unite to defend their land, their culture, and our shared planet.
Community-led storytelling isn't merely the practice of recounting the past; rather, it is an act of remembrance and resistance, both for the storyteller and the audience. In the early months of 2025, Kara Solar will launch its next five solar-powered longtail motor boats on the Kapawi River, which the Achuar have now coined, “The Solar River”, as part of an ambitious plan to transition 100 boats and communities from gasoline and diesel fuels to solar energy. grids
The Honnold Foundation’s mission to promote solar energy transcends environmental benefits; we also seek to nurture community, sovereignty, and respect for diverse ways of life. Partnering with organizations like Kara Solar, the Foundation envisions a future where sustainability and cultural preservation move as one. This December, the Amazon’s inaugural floating film festival, Kanua, will carry these vital stories deeper into the forest – sharing the dream of the Solar River with Indigenous communities across Achuar territory, while we work to share that same dream with audiences in the US and the rest of Latin America.
River of the Spirits will be available at select film festivals and streamers in 2025. Stay tuned.
Donate today to support the Honnold Foundation’s mission and help fund initiatives that empower Indigenous communities through renewable energy.
