Kiliii Yuyan
Kiliii Yuyan is an Indigenous Nanai and Chinese American photographer and filmmaker exploring the intersection of culture, conservation, and climate. His work centers Indigenous knowledge from the Arctic to the Amazon. His forthcoming book, Guardians of Life, celebrates ancestral wisdom as a vital force in protecting Earth’s future.
Indigenous Storyteller
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Culture Keeper
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Worldview Shaper
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Indigenous Storyteller • Culture Keeper • Worldview Shaper •
More about Kiliii
Kiliii Yuyan is a National Geographic Explorer and award-winning photographer whose work explores the deep connections between Indigenous peoples, wildlife, and the landscapes they depend on. Of Siberian Yupik and Chinese descent, Kiliii documents communities across the Arctic and beyond, showing how they adapt to rapidly changing environments using knowledge passed down over generations.
His storytelling emerges from years of shared experience—traveling by skinboat with sea-ice hunters, joining reindeer herders on long migrations, and listening to those whose lives are intimately tied to the rhythms of the natural world. Through his photographs and narratives, Kiliii offers a grounded perspective on resilience, belonging, and the future of remote cultures facing climate disruption.
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His forthcoming book, Guardians of Life, weaves together these journeys, highlighting people working to sustain traditional ways of life while protecting ecosystems that benefit everyone. The book invites readers to see the land not as a resource but as a relative and to consider how cultural knowledge shapes human survival.
Kiliii encourages us to strengthen our relationships with the places we call home—and with each other. His work has earned him the 2023 National Geographic Eliza Scidmore Award for Outstanding Storytelling, recognition as one of PDN’s Top 30 Photographers in 2019, and accolades from Pictures of the Year International, Leica Oscar-Barnack, PDN, and ASMP. His photography and essays have appeared in TIME, Vogue, and WIRED. When not in the field, Kiliii lives on Duwamish lands in Seattle, WA, continuing his mission to honor and amplify Indigenous voices and environmental stewardship.
Speaking Topics
Resilience
Navigating the Future
Conservation
Exploration
Adventure
Nature
Culture
Watch Kiliii in action
Presentations
Indigenous Wisdom for a Modern World
How have coral reefs, rainforests, and Arctic tundra endured for generations? National Geographic Explorer Kiliii Yüyan shares wisdom from Indigenous Elders and his own field experiences—from navigating Arctic ice in traditional kayaks to learning from communities living closely with wildlife. Drawing from Guardians of Life, he shows how Indigenous knowledge can guide a healthier future for people and the planet.
“The world is full of stories. But how many of those stories just tell us what we already know? Can photography grant us insight to the deeper questions?”
– Kiliii Yuyan