Good Fire Podcast Por Amy Cardinal Christianson and Matthew Kristoff arte de portada

Good Fire

Good Fire

De: Amy Cardinal Christianson and Matthew Kristoff
Escúchala gratis

Acerca de esta escucha

 In this podcast we explore the concept of fire as a tool for ecological health and cultural empowerment by indigenous people around the globe. Good Fire is a term used to describe fire that is lit intentionally to achieve specific ecological and cultural goals. Good fire is about balance. Ciencia Ciencias Biológicas Ciencias Sociales Historia Natural Naturaleza y Ecología
Episodios
  • Fire In Our DNA with Elizabeth Azzuz and Margo Robbins

    Fire In Our DNA with Elizabeth Azzuz and Margo Robbins
    May 1 2025
    Good Fire Podcast by Amy Cardinal Christianson and Matthew KristoffStories of Indigenous fire stewardship, cultural and social empowerment, and environmental integrityFire In Our DNA with Elizabeth Azzuz and Margo RobbinsEpisode highlightIn this episode, Elizabeth Azzuz and Margo Robbins talk about restoring cultural fire in their tribal territory and across the world.ResourcesCultural Fire Management CouncilElizabeth AzzuzMargo RobbinsThe California Endowment: Building Healthy CommunitiesIndigenous Peoples Burning Networkhttps://www.elementalfilm.com/“Firelighters: Fire is Medicine” movie https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AskCYsXWKpA&t=1sSponsorsCanada WildfireIndigenous Leadership InitiativeQuotes05.06 - 5.27: “Fire has an amazing effect on not just the land and the health of the land and the resources that it produces but it is in fact a way to bring health back to our communities.” 05.57 - 06.07: “Fire is one of the ways to reconnect us to the land around us and our ancestors and our cultural lifeways.” 19.00 - 19.05: “It seems like, oftentimes, women are the movers and shakers in the community.” TakeawaysMeet Elizabeth Azzuz (1.45)Elizabeth Azzuz is a Yurok Tribe member, a descendent of the Karuk Tribe and has ties to the Metis Nation as well. She began burning at age 4 when her grandfather decided to teach her after watching her play with matches. She’s always loved what fire can do to restore the environment and provide food, medicine and basket materials. She takes great joy in training younger generations to carry this knowledge forward. Meet Margo Robbins (02.57)Margo Robbins is the executive director of Cultural Fire Management Council (CFMC) and is a member of the Yurok Tribe. As a basket weaver, she saw the tradition dying out because of regulations preventing cultural burning on their land, which is required to reproduce new single shoots of hazel needed for weaving the frames of baskets. She was about to become a grandmother and wanted her grandchildren to be carried in traditional baskets. So, she conveyed this to The California Endowment.Loss of cultural identity (04.32)As a CFMC cofounder, Margo realized that many young Indigenous people are losing their connection to their identity as Yurok people, which manifests in unhealthy behaviours like using drugs and alcohol. She emphasizes that working with fire is in their DNA as a people and their true calling. Before working in fire, she worked in the school system and used to include information on fire in her lessons as well. Now her focus is on restoring the land and helping other tribal people reclaim their fire traditions as well.“We didn’t take no for an answer” (07.44)Margo marvels at how the fire-creation stories of many different tribes have a lot in common. Margo had just finished her first burn in CFMC when she met Elizabeth who also expressed interest in joining. She narrates the story of how CFMC came to be, and how they have worked to make cultural burning possible now. They knew the dangers of fuel buildup and so recruited volunteers, developed a partnership with Nature Conservancy and conducted community training sessions to be allowed to burn. Dual win (12.45)After several years of burning on a volunteer basis, CFMC finally received a million-dollar wildfire prevention grant through CAL FIRE in 2019. With limited burn windows and specific burn schedules, they also did home protection and roadside clearance to provide full-time jobs to the employees. They chose places rich in cultural resources to burn so that they could provide “important cultural resources for the community while also providing wildfire protection in an area that is rated as extremely high fire risk”.“A place that will be ours” (15.00)Elizabeth shares that they recently purchased 140 acres for CFMC, a unit they have burned on a few times before, which is also close to Margo’s home. She is excited about the possibility of the first Indigenous fire training facility in California. Having their own space means they don’t have to borrow Tribal facilities, and they can bring on more staff. The two buildings that the property comes with have been assigned for training and parking fire engines, respectively. Comfort in their territory (17.56)Elizabeth believes the longevity and stability of the organization come from the women in the tribal community, evident in the common thought processes shared in the board meeting conversations. Margo quips about how they have had to shift gears many times to bring the training center dream to fruition. They built CFMC based on learnings from other organizations but created partnerships and terminology to cater to the needs and sensibilities of the Yurok people specifically. “Happy and joyful” (23.23)It makes Elizabeth happy to see the organization grow and expand in a natural way. Margo explains how they balance the needs of the government along with those of the tribes in ...
    Más Menos
    Menos de 1 minuto
  • The Power of Fire and Memory with Lisa Shepherd and Paul Courtoreille

    The Power of Fire and Memory with Lisa Shepherd and Paul Courtoreille
    Apr 24 2025
    The Power of Fire and Memory with Lisa Shepherd and Paul Courtoreille Episode highlightIn this episode, Lisa Shepherd and Paul Courtoreille share personal memories and cultural insights into fire’s role within Métis traditions. From childhood experiences to modern applications, they discuss fire's ability to connect communities, heal the land, and preserve Métis heritage.ResourcesLisa ShepherdMétis Nation of AlbertaParks Canada Indigenous ConnectionsMétis CrossingRocky Mountain House National Historic Site SponsorsCanada WildfireIndigenous Leadership InitiativeQuotes1.07.33 - 1.07.09: “In order for us to gain back that which was almost disappeared, we need to be able to live in our truth, which… means… being able to recognize the land is in us... it’s where we come from, it’s what we are made up of.”TakeawaysA Journey to Reclaim Language and Culture (4.33)Lisa introduces herself, acknowledging her Métis and Italian heritage. While she didn’t grow up speaking Cree, she is now learning it to reclaim her cultural roots. Lisa expresses the importance of integrating language into daily life, not just for herself but for her children and future generations. This reconnection is part of her broader goal as a Métis artist to revitalize cultural practices and traditions lost due to colonization.Childhood Memories of Cultural Burns (6.14)Lisa shares a childhood memory of participating in a cultural burn at four years old. She vividly describes walking alongside the fire, stepping on flames, and watching it roll across the grass. This moment stands out as a formative experience, showing the unity of her community and fire’s life-giving role. Paul adds his perspective, recalling how fire was integral to his family’s life for ceremonies, cooking, and traditional healing, as taught by his grandfather, a medicine man.Fire as the “Little Fire Within Us” (8.14)Paul describes fire as part of all life, comparing it to the mitochondria within our cells that produce energy. He reflects on his upbringing in the Gift Lake Métis Settlement, where fire was central to both practical and spiritual life. He emphasizes how deeply fire is connected to the Métis worldview, symbolizing energy, connection, and renewal.Language and Fire’s Cultural Connection (11.19)Paul explores linguistic ties between Cree words and fire, explaining how the language reflects fire’s cultural significance. While Cree lacks root words, its descriptive nature ties fire to various concepts and practices, deepening its role within Métis traditions.Displacement and the Loss of Knowledge (15.44)Lisa discusses the historical displacement of Métis people from Jasper National Park in 1907. This forced removal disrupted traditional practices, cutting off communities from their land and cultural knowledge. She recounts efforts by Parks Canada to reconnect with Indigenous communities and foster truth-telling about these historical injustices. Lisa highlights the complex expectations placed on Métis people, who are often expected to retain Indigenous knowledge despite the colonial disruptions that made it difficult to do so.Fire as the Heartbeat of the Community (19.14)Lisa reflects on the metaphorical “fire in the belly” that drives Métis people to reclaim their traditions and language. She emphasizes that humans are not separate from nature but deeply intertwined. Connecting with the land and engaging in cultural practices helps restore this sense of unity and well-being.Including Children in Fire Practices (25.45)Lisa shares how her son participated in a recent cultural burn, documenting the experience through photography. She notes the importance of involving children in fire practices to demystify its role and teach them how fire can renew and heal the land. Lisa believes that hands-on experiences help children understand the responsibility and respect required when working with fire.Watching Fire Come to Life (28.50)Lisa describes how observing the movements of fire during a cultural burn, including the spiralling patterns of smoke, deepened her appreciation for its spirit and vitality. These firsthand experiences, she explains, cannot be replicated through imagination alone—they require presence and connection to the land.Revitalizing Practices Through Art and Storytelling (33.00)Lisa speaks about creating a children’s book that teaches the sacred relationship between fire and land. The project began with an image of a rabbit she envisioned during a brainstorming session. Through intricate beadwork and storytelling, she sought to illustrate fire’s positive role while ensuring the book remained engaging and accessible for children.The Challenges of Fire Stewardship Today (39.16)Paul reflects on his experience as a trapper and his deep understanding of the land and its interconnected ecosystems. He shares how modern practices and environmental changes, such as diminishing food sources for muskrats, have ...
    Más Menos
    Menos de 1 minuto
  • Survivorship into Thrivorship with Ryan Reed

    Survivorship into Thrivorship with Ryan Reed
    Apr 17 2025
    Good Fire Podcast by Amy Cardinal Christianson and Matthew KristoffStories of Indigenous fire stewardship, cultural and social empowerment and environmental integritySurvivorship into Thrivorship with Ryan ReedEpisode highlightIn this episode, Ryan Reed talks about how the younger generations are leading the way into the future with a move away from fire suppression and into fire generation to protect the environment.ResourcesRyan ReedFireGeneration CollaborativeFirefighters United for Safety, Ethics and EcologyON FIRE: The Report of the Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management CommissionModernizing Wildfire Safety and Prevention Act of 2024SponsorsCanada WildfireIndigenous Leadership InitiativeQuotes13.12 - 13.32: “We can't create something without including or… centering around Indigenous communities as… there are so many statistics that point towards Indigenous communities or management in the Indigenous hands really shows a profound impact… not only just for the landscape but for the communities who depend on those landscapes.”30.18 - 30.29: “It’s really to show other folks… how important it is to… know who you are and where you come from and how… important that is to be proud of that.”58.07 - 58.20: “We’re a generation that we’re proud to be Indigenous… and our ancestors never had that opportunity to be proud of who they are and so it’s a responsibility of ours… to carry on with that.”TakeawaysMeet Ryan Reed (02.33)Ryan grew up on Karuk land, but is from the Karuk, Hupa and Yurok tribes in Northern California, and grew up immersed in different ceremonies and traditional cultural practices. He cherishes and values being part of the country, the community and the ceremonies. He completed his undergraduate degree from the University of Oregon and is currently pursuing a postgraduate degree in Forestry at UC Berkeley.“The closest truth on earth is our ceremonies” (04.27)Ryan used to be a wildland firefighter for the US Forest Service but decided to step away from fire suppression. He is also honoured to be a Karuk medicine person who comes from a long lineage of medicine people. He grew into learning the role and significance of fire in his community to manage resources and ceremonies. He looks forward to rejuvenating and revitalizing cultural practices to share their benefits and uphold the responsibilities to the earth.Creating pathways for younger generations (07.25)Ryan translates policies with the help of colleagues and friends to help create space and awareness of how Indigenous people can lead the way. Ryan is most proud of being the cofounder and program director of FireGeneration Collaborative, an organization that empowers marginalized and younger generations within fire policy with Indigenous leadership at the forefront to find climate solutions. They have spoken to government decision-makers to generate conversations and include youth. Living in reciprocity (13.33)Ryan’s life reflects the impact of living in reciprocity, and he works to bring Indigenous people and marginalized non-Indigenous people on the frontlines of the climate crisis or wildfire issues together to build a paradigm-shifting coalition. He has received funding and support to invest in creating spaces to change policies with younger generations who want to fight the discrimination and cultural erasure of Indigenous communities in the white male-dominated fire suppression world. “Enough is enough” (16.40)Ryan shares how his generation has decided to take matters into their own hands and look into the future, “not for just the generations, but also the non-human souls and entities we have on our landscapes”. Firefighters United for Safety, Ethics and Ecology sponsors his work and he finds that organic connections made in the fire world, especially mentors, help overcome the growing pains of running the organization and cultivating their position in this space.Modernizing wildfire safety (20.17)Ryan is heavily involved as a committee member in the Northwest Forest Plan and is proud of the role FireGeneration played in conversations with the Wildland Fire Commission to share their perspectives, language and policy recommendations, which focus on empowering younger generations through education. To have the space and access to increase awareness in the early days is inspiring for younger generations to streamline their focus.Feeding the mind, body and soul with a traditional diet (23.37)“Growing up in a community that was socioeconomically deprived but culturally wealthy, we had a lot of knowledge and understanding of how our culture meshed with concepts of sustainability and holistic management of ecosystem services”, Ryan notes, but Indigenous people have not received the benefits of the advocacy they do to protect the environment for the benefit of all. He hopes to see a move from the environmental destruction his parents’ generation saw to sustainability in his ...
    Más Menos
    Menos de 1 minuto
adbl_web_global_use_to_activate_T1_webcro805_stickypopup
Todavía no hay opiniones