Adaptive capacity is the ability to cope with changing, novel, and surprise situatios. Narratives of adapting to change, which often transforms cultures, suggest hypotheses for addressing social and environmental change. By describing three historical narratives exemplifying greater adaptive capacity, we share indigenous stories of gaining cultural capacity and adapting to change in the novel and unexpected ways. The narratives are: (1) Grand Ronde tribal restoration of sovereignty and resilience; (2) Colombia River tribal salmon supplementation and cultural knowledge; and, (3) the Nisqually leadership with Billy Frank Jr. Our aim is to provide insight into adaptive capacity by showing how Indigenous people and cultures adapt to new settings and situations and how historical narratives can offer additional insight into the most important variables and cultural dimensions for explaining adaptive capacity.