4 Environmental Lessons from “Avatar”
©Disney
James Cameron’s sci-fi fantasy series “Avatar” is a visual marvel and a storytelling masterpiece, carrying deep messages about colonialism, Indigenous wisdom, and connection to nature. The film is set in the mid-22nd century, when Earth is experiencing ecological collapse, and humans colonize the fictional moon, Pandora. This colonization threatens the Na’vi people, who are Indigenous to Pandora, leading to clashes between the humans and the Indigenous tribes. But it’s not only the story that supports the environment; the newly released “Avatar: Fire and Ash” earned the EMA Gold Seal for sustainable production!
Here are four environmental lessons we learned from “Avatar”:
Indigenous wisdom goes hand in hand with protecting nature.
The Na’vi possess a deep ecological knowledge of Pandora’s plants and animals, enabling them to live in balance with the land for many generations. When the human colonizers destroy the land and attack its peoples, a wealth of ecological wisdom is also lost. In the real world, Indigenous wisdom remains incredibly important for protecting Earth’s habitats. Indigenous peoples have lived on these lands for time immemorial, developing ancient ways of living in harmony with the plants and animals. With their deep connection to the land, Indigenous communities are often also the hardest hit by the impacts of climate change. When Indigenous wisdom is erased, the lack of it poses a direct threat to Earth’s ecosystems.
©Disney
Animals possess intelligence and culture.
In the “Avatar” sequels, humans threaten to destroy Pandora’s ecosystems and hunt the tulkun, a whale-like marine species native to Pandora’s oceans. The tulkun are highly intelligent animals with their own language, culture, clans, and spiritual practices. Each tulkun develops a deep, lifelong bond with a member of the Metkayina clan, and the two learn to communicate and participate in spiritual rituals together. A marine biologist warns that hunting the tulkun would be a devastating loss for the animals’ culture and ecology, but hunters refuse to heed his warning. This parallels Earth’s whales, which are also highly intelligent and possess their own sophisticated communication systems, social structures, and cultural traditions. Unfortunately, water pollution, overfishing, and whale hunting practices threaten Earth’s marine species, leading to devastating losses of whales and other marine life.
Communities survive through collective responsibility.
Even after suffering devastating losses, the Na’vi communities come together by taking care of each other’s families and protecting their homelands. Everybody has a collective responsibility to protect their communities and ecosystems from the colonial threat. The solidarity between Na’vi clans is held together by their connection to nature and dedication to protecting it. Their support for one another is a beautiful thing to witness and also sends a powerful message to humanity. To protect our beautiful planet, we must stand together in solidarity and each play our part in fighting for climate justice.
©Disney
We are all connected to nature.
On Pandora, all people, animals, and plants are connected by a spiritual force called Eywa, also known as the Great Mother. The Na’vi believe Eywa to be the mother of all life who guides the moon’s ecosystems and restores balance and harmony in nature. The Na’vi are able to connect with Eywa through nature, whether it be at the forested Hometree or the underwater Spirit Tree. These sacred ecosystems are believed to hold the people’s memories and ancestors. Similarly, on Earth, all beings are connected to nature, which sustains all ecosystems and maintains balance between all living things.
Are you interested in watching more movies with environmental messaging? Check out past EMA Award winners here.
Katy Ho (she/her) is a Cantonese Canadian writer, activist, and daughter of refugees who explores the intersections of gender, climate, and pop culture through her work. She is the founder of BAD ASIAN, a community that is building the discourse around Asian feminism. When she’s not writing about feminism and climate justice, you can find her hosting book club meetings, visiting her local thrift store, and checking out plant-based restaurants.