Saltwater Soundwalk

Our non-human kin

Episode Summary

"We, as a people in general, love the fish."

Episode Notes

The oldest geoduck clam ever confirmed was 168 years old. Washington has only been a state for 133 years. We want to see more protections for our plant and animal relatives

Featuring: 

Archie Cantrell (Puyallup), language teacher

Jeanne Hyde, Orca Adoption Program Documentarian/Storykeeper, The Whale Museum

LaDean Johnson (Skokomish), tuwaduq language instructor

Warren King George (Muckleshoot), historian, Muckleshoot Indian Tribe

Michelle Myles (Snohomish from Tulalip), Lushootseed teacher.

Owen Oliver (Quinault / Isleta Pueblo) https://owenloliver.com/

Randi Purser (Suquamish), tribal elder

Lydia Sigo (Suquamish), geoduck diver

Joseph Sisneros, Professor of Psychology, Adjunct Professor of Biology, University of Washington

Ken Workman (Duwamish), 5th generation Great-Grandson of Chief Seattle

 

 

Episode Transcription

Our non-human kin 

Saltwater Soundwalk SHORT

 

Narrator: The oldest geoduck clam ever confirmed was 168 years old. Washington has only been a state for 133 years. 

[sound of underwater microphone entering water]

Owen Oliver (Quinault / Isleta Pueblo): I want to see more protections for our non-human kin…

LaDean Johnson (Skokomish): [Tuwaduq word / fish] Oysters and clams

Randi Purser Smith (Suquamish): And geoduck

Archie Cantrell (Puyallup): [Speaks in Twulshootseed] Geoduck.

Michelle Myles (Tulalip): Crab.

Archie: Crab.

Randi: Horse clams.

Archie: Clams.

Randi: Cucumbers and starfish and spider clams.

Ken Workman (Duwamish): Beaver and elk and deer and seagull and...

Jeanne Hyde (The Whale Museum): Southern Resident killer whales.

Owen: Orcas. 

Lydia Sigo (Suquamish): Orca whales.

 

[sound of orca whales communicating and using clicks]

 

Jeanne: They are endangered.

[sound of orca whale clicks continues]

[00:00:35] Owen: I want to see more protections for our plant and animal relatives. All our nonhuman kin…

Lydia: Salmon. 

Randi: Salmon dwindle right before our eyes. And my dad, he liked to talk about a run out of a creek by Marysville that sported 75-pound spring kings.

Warren: The King salmon…

Randi: They don't exist anymore. 

Archie: [Speaks in Twulshootseed] Chinook. Coho. Chum. Steelhead. 

Warren: Steelhead, [Speaks in Southern Lushootseed] The sockeye salmon, the silver salmon, the humpy, uh, or pink salmon. 

Archie: [Speaks in Twulshootseed] And pinks.

LaDean: [Speaks in Tuwaduq] It means fish. Fish, fish, fish.

Michelle: Fish.

Archie: Fish.

Joseph: Fish. They're these singing fish. 

Lydia: Fish.

LaDean: Fish in general. 

Joe Sisneros (UW): Very common in Seattle. Most people aren’t even aware of them. You'd be amazed of all the sounds that are being produced right there, close to shore.

[midshipman sounds hum and growl]

LaDean: My favorite word is [Tuwaduq word / fish]. [Laughs] We, as a people in general, love the fish. 

[00:01:48]