The Rivers Running Through Us

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

  • https://www.duwamishtribe.org/history

  • https://www.burkemuseum.org/collections-and-research/culture/contemporary-culture/coast-salish-art/coast-salish-people

• 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

• Introduction to Watershed Terminology

• 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