ABSTRACT
Although Stone and Douglas first suggested the foundations for ecosystems to become juristic persons in the United States of America, other nations translated rhetoric into praxis, by introducing legislation that granted legal personhood for ecosystems. The representative wrote an affidavit that granted him power of attorney to act and speak on behalf of Mo’oinanea. The medium and the representative argued that the mountain summit is an important portal for communicating with Mo’oinanea and the Akua. In contrast to the earlier judgment, the court recognised the role of other riparian states, community participation and the importance of extending juristic personhood to the Himalayan ecosystem. If incantation rituals are not performed, it is believed that the tapu will be breached and the gods will cause harm to befall the person, including his or her wider family, to the extent of illness. Loss of mana would certainly be forthcoming. The custom thus guarantees sustainable use through respect for the world order.
