s01e03 Weapons of Mass Destruction p.IV: The Salmon Return

In the final part of a four-part episode, we continue to examine the negative environmental and cultural impact of dams, and the Indigenous-led movement to remove them. These dams, deemed as Weapons of Mass Destruction by Chief Caleen Sisk, have devastated Salmon populations and the communities whose histories have been in relationship with Salmon since time immemorial.

Part IV ends this extended episode with a story of hope, sharing a ceremony for the return of salmon to Amah Mutsun waters after the removal of a small dam in Northern Santa Cruz County.

Speakers: Carolyn Rodriguez (Amah Mutsun), Steven Pratt (Amah Mutsun), Elijah Catalan, Mike Grone, & Josh Thunder Little (Lakota).

Credits:

Audio engineering and editing by Daniel Stonebloom

All interviews conducted and recorded by Martin Rizzo-Martinez

Sounds of Mill Creek flowing after the dam removal recorded and shared by Carolyn Rodriguez

Music written, performed, and recorded by G. Gonzales

This podcast is supported by the California State Parks Foundation: https://www.calparks.org/

Follow us on Twitter: @ChalColonialPod

To see Sempervirens Fund videos showing the dam removal, visit:

https://vimeo.com/611886521 The Mill Creek Dam Comes Down

https://vimeo.com/657201537 Removing a Dam, Restoring a Watershed

For further reading and to get involved, see the following:

Bring the Salmon Home www.bringthesalmonhome.org

Save California Salmon https://www.californiasalmon.org/

Reconnect Klamath https://reconnectklamath.org/

Klamath River Renewal Corporation https://klamathrenewal.org/

Run4Salmon - A prayerful journey led by Chief Caleen Sisk of the Winnemem Wintu Tribe to restore our salmon runs, protect our waters, and our indigenous lifeways. http://run4salmon.org/

West Coast Water Justice - Podcast focused on Indigenous centered water justice movement https://www.westcoastwaterjustice.org/

“Salmon and Acorns Feed our People: Colonialism, Nature, and Social Action,” by Dr. Kari Norgaard https://www.rutgersuniversitypress.org/salmon-and-acorns-feed-our-people/9780813584195

“Upstream: Trust Lands and Power on the Feather River,” by Dr. Beth Rose Middleton Manning https://uapress.arizona.edu/book/upstream

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