Guardians of Life: Indigenous Knowledge, Indigenous Science, and Restoring the Planet

by Kiliii Yuyan, Charles C. Mann (Primary Contributor), Quannah Chasinghorse (Foreword)

224 pages, Hardcover

Published February 2, 2026

About the author

Photographer, Speaker, and National Geographic Explorer Kiliii Yüyan captures the profound interconnectedness of humanity and the natural world, from the depths of frozen seas to the heart of Indigenous communities. Of Chinese and Nanai/Hèzhé descent, Kiliii utilizes a cross-cultural lens and years of deep immersion to document life at the edges of the world—whether he is diving inside icebergs, building traditional kayaks, or facing down stalking polar bears.

A recipient of the 2023 National Geographic Eliza Scidmore Award for Outstanding Storytelling, his sensory, holistic imagery is featured in National Geographic Magazine, TIME, and Vogue, and is held in museum collections across the United States. While he is a dynamic keynote speaker who has graced stages like TEDx and NatGeo Live, this Seattle-based explorer is most at home beneath the surface of the ocean or atop the shifting Arctic ice, dedicated to preserving a living link to his northern Indigenous heritage.

Reviews

[Mike Good · Rating 5 out of 5]

I reviewed this book for Foreword Magazine, which you can read here:

https://www.forewordreviews.com/revie...

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mountaineers Books reminding us that as part of the breathing world we are all in this together, and that while deeply rooted in our own place, we can recognize ourselves in every other place.