The artists, musicians, and water protectors of South Seattle challenge flawed concepts of environmentalism by showing us that water is not a resource; but a sacred force that is inseparable from what it means to be a human being. Protecting our rivers and upholding water sovereignty is always a cultural and relational act - one that is a co-creation between the humans and the waters themselves. The Duwamish River invites us to take this journey back to ourselves.
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Learn more about Food Culture Collective @ https://foodculture.org and HEAL Food Alliance @ https://healfoodalliance.org
Take action with HEAL on the U.S. Farm Bill: https://healfoodalliance.org/farmbill/
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Simon Wolf, poet
Website: https://www.simonwolf.xyz/
Music for Simon’s poetry by Sendai Mike
Arturo Rodriguez, musician
Website and Classes: https://arturorodriguez.com/
Stay in touch: https://www.facebook.com/RodriguezReneArturo
Rainier Valley Water Resiliency Course: https://blackstarfarmers.org/waterresiliency
Dynamic Waters: https://www.dynamicwaters.net/
Support the Duwamish River Community Coalition’s (DRCC) Environmental & Health Justice work: https://www.drcc.org/donate
Stay connected with Shephali at shephali.earth
Story Elements
The Duwamish and Coast Salish peoples
The Waterlines Project identifies landscape and water entities in the Lushootseed language – and illustrates how Seattle is one of the most dramatically engineered cities in the U.S.
Waterlines Map: https://www.burkemuseum.org/static/waterlines/project_map.html
Cedar River Watershed Map: https://your.kingcounty.gov/dnrp/library/water-and-land/watersheds/cedar-river-lake-wa/watershed-map.pdf
The Superfund Status of the Duwamish River: https://www.drcc.org/what-is-superfund
Duwamish River History & Photographs: https://www.drcc.org/river-history-and-photographs
Recommended Reading and Listening List inspired by Simon, Arturo, Allie, and Orian:
Listen to James Rasmussen, Duwamish Tribe and Founder of the DRCC
The River that Made Seattle by BJ Cummings
Haboo: Native American Stories from Puget Sound by Vi Hilbert
One River, a Thousand Voices by Claudia Castro Luna
When the Light of the World Was Subdued, Our Songs Came Through by Joy Harjo
Occasional Objects by Simon Wolf and Cedar Sigo
Learn Conga Drum technique from Arturo Rodriguez
Watch Simon Wolf’s Place Based Poetics series
Listen to drums played by rain at the Cedar River Watershed Education Center
