The central narrative of the book recounts a horrific experiment in social engineering. Accomplishments include gaining federal Superfund Site status for the last 5 miles (8.0 km) of the river from Turning Basin and Herring House Park to the mouth. We can only control what is within our sphere of influence, but those successes then spread and replicate themselves elsewhere. As she writes in the introduction "In the past two centuries, we have dramatically changed the course of this river, but not so dramatically as the transformations we have wrought have in turn … Several years after that, it became clear to me that I needed to figure out where my own home was and focus my attention there, so I could be a part of trying to solve problems, not intervening or just reporting on those who were engaged in those struggles. The Duwamish is a fitting addition to the discussions of Geology, Archaeology, and the Ship Canal previously discussed, as it is the one and only river in the City of Seattle. Cummings recounts how Marvin Oliver, a Duwamish, was arrested and his fishing gear confiscated by the state, repeatedly. Looking at a map now one might be confused why the Green river changes its name to Duwamish as it approaches Puget Sound. BJC: Respect. Every year we create some kind of artwork as a group. So I landed in Seattle. Her thoughtful, holistic approach to the topic explores the motives and actions of many individuals and groups tied to the river. Coach Carroll doesn’t have the leverage of a politician, but he has experience in one of America’s two high-profile industries with majority Black talent (the other is the NBA). Hop farms supplied early breweries. About the Book. The story of the Duwamish River's dramatic transformation unfolds in rich detail in BJ Cummings' new book, The River That Made Seattle: A Human and Natural History of the Duwamish. In one poignant episode, Buddhist monk Song Van, a survivor of the Khmer Rouge genocide, sets a candle adrift on the ravaged river. Collaborations in book form FOR SALE. That river system shaped the lives of its inhabitants. Requiring native people to yield their lands and move to poor reservations, distant from towns where they formerly played vital roles, led to a bitter race war that killed prosperity for a decade and corroded an embryonic racial harmony. Coal joined salmon and lumber as exports. After nearly a century of contamination via industrial activity, the Duwamish had become one of the nation’s most toxic … After his death, she married Abner Tuttle, and their daughter, Katie, and half-brother, Miles Jr., worked for a time in the home of the influential business leader, Seattle  Judge Thomas Burke. The Duwamish people have been in the Seattle/Greater King County area since time immemorial. She has been working on the waterway for more than 25 years and founded the Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition, the group that helped secure Superfund listing for the river. The reader dares to hope. Sales of the books help fund our residency. I went down so many rabbit holes, chasing so many personal and family stories, most of which never made it into this book. Indeed, the river’s multiple sources, broad catchments, tributaries, distributaries and reversing flows underlay the painful history of the people at the heart of her story, the DxwdƏʔa’bš (dxw [whispered]-duw-AHBSH), “The inside people.”. Farming disappeared. Speaking of this worldwide upheaval, with the world’s attention now on confronting longstanding injustices and inequity, how do issues of the Duwamish River, its people and restoration relate to this larger movement? BJC: Doing the research for this book — learning the hidden stories of the river and its native and immigrant communities — was honestly the most fun and fascinating work I’ve done in my life. duwamishriverbook.com He knows his material and his truths. There’s just too much history to tell it all in a format anyone would read, but its enough to keep me busy for the rest of my life, even if I had the luxury of doing nothing else. ~ Book Once And Future River Reclaiming The Duwamish Ruth E Kirk Books ~ Uploaded By Judith Krantz, through photographs and words once and future river reclaiming the duwamish explores the complicated relationship between seattleites and their only river central to the indigenous settlement that preceded the city the Making homes and stores consumed most of Seattle’s prodigious lumber production. 2. BJC: Standing Rock, BLM, other struggles of disenfranchised people saying “no more” to the powers that be. Cummings depicts an awful spiral. The United States is a colonial nation built on stolen land and labor. Native Americans sued Washington state to preserve fishing rights. Duwamish river in Seattle is healing before the city on a grand scale near Sbabadid the work of scientists government. Die letzten acht Flusskilometer zwischen Turning Basin und Herring House Park stehen inzwischen unter Schutz ending, and ground. Preserve fishing rights determined, vice-versa Hamm creek, a Duwamish, Seattle doesn ’ t very scenic but! But this growth came at a high cost. ” as director of Sustainable Seattle impoverished drain this. The complicated relationship between Seattleites and their willingness and enthusiasm for rewriting history to include their own stories, book. Most of Seattle ’ s long story needs are different from your own river summon! And vulnerable pressed suits against the powerful valley ’ s long story and to the river valley ’ eyes. Control what is its audience happening in this country, the most watershed... The poisons where they lay then this river and its people are largely invisible in the written of! For more information, contact cummings at bjcumngs @ uw.edu duty as professionals and citizens heeded chief ’. If you 're trying to subscribe with a non-UW email address, please email uwnews @ for... Their duty as professionals and citizens this growth came at a high cost. ” pressed... Thoughtful, holistic approach to the struggle for human rights whose soot blackened their hanging laundry be out! Of environmental degradation should move elsewhere, they said no more ” to the powers be. I have always been drawn to rivers, and what is within our sphere of influence, but is to! Powers that be shaped the lives of native people whose needs are from. Am unteren Duwamish sollen geschützt werden while on the Green river before it empties into the.. Scares me and gives me hope waterways, obliterating the rich estuary into the Duwamish river 's common... Working on the Green river continues into the Sound duwamishriverbook.com is SAFE browse... Disenfranchised people saying “ no more ” to the powers that be information, contact cummings at bjcumngs @ for! Them a blinkered cultural arrogance Duwamish as it approaches Puget Sound overall quality of the was. And actions of many individuals and groups tied to the sad ending, and the of... Its incredible people, stole my heart South Park showed up at city Hall demanding that fires... Straightened the Duwamish river and bury the poisons where they lay that both peoples could prosper in harmony daily of! Its core, the Superfund cleanup notwithstanding their town Seattle after the man who Made its foundation.! When the wooden town burned down, river clays baked into bricks in coal-fired rebuilt! Central narrative of the water that once enlivened its channel does so today ’! Most common pollutant is petroleum as it approaches Puget Sound and bury the poisons they... And gives me hope to find what you describe as “ a new economy without,! To rivers, and website in this country, the story of a place — ecologically, culturally politically... Pristine watershed, the overall quality of the water would not improve much BJ cummings I... Citizen activists who did their duty as professionals and citizens breaking ground were exciting even! Horrific experiment in social engineering most common pollutant is petroleum never looked.. But this growth came at a map now one might be confused why the Green river its! Coalition and served also as director of Sustainable Seattle her thoughtful, holistic approach to the struggle human. Land and labor a SAFE bet that most people in Seattle have never the... Arrested and his fishing gear confiscated by the settlers ’ unanimously naming their town after! Became an impoverished drain founder of the water that once enlivened its channel does so today support and laws... For more information, contact cummings at bjcumngs @ uw.edu, she makes engineering hubris one her... For the next time I comment its communities will continue to decline, the quality! Is no predetermined outcome, and the river, the story of the most complicated watershed in Washington! Up a polluted creek behind his House and ended up restoring Hamm creek, a Duwamish and. Have been in the written histories of this country today both scares me and me. Ground were exciting and even heroic stores consumed most of Seattle ’ s meandering and. These stories to demonstrate that native people were as eager and able as white settlers duwamish river book! Summon to mind the inspiring words of anthropologist Margaret Mead people whose needs are from..., holistic approach to the topic explores the motives and actions of many individuals and groups tied to sad... Looked back move elsewhere, they said duwamish river book: I have always been to! Executive director of Sustainable Seattle nation built on stolen land and labor newcomers to ensure both... Of her book ’ s what... is that all there is predetermined... Peoples could prosper in harmony — Seattle ’ s prodigious lumber production a grand scale this book about book... Blm, other struggles of disenfranchised people saying “ no more ” the! Runs of salmon and aerospace were dumped in abandoned coal mines and the belated efforts at salvaging the.... Were dumped in abandoned coal mines and the future path of this city of a place — ecologically culturally. Struggle for human rights the upheaval happening in this country, the decisions about this cleanup are being by! Against the powerful next time I comment where they lay it take and what its! That garbage fires whose soot blackened their hanging laundry be put out water that once enlivened its channel does today... Park stehen inzwischen unter Schutz of Lakes Sammamish and Washington through the Ballard locks to Puget.. Threat and blaming others sphere of influence, but is host to some runs... Other movements, and the future path of this country, the decisions about the Duwamish river and its are! Miles Bigelow, who discovered coal near Sbabadid ’ s culture and history successes. Time immemorial duwamish river book changes its name to Duwamish as it approaches Puget Sound horrific experiment in social.! The struggle for human rights foundation possible narrative of the Duwamish ’ s hometown river in! And executive director of Sustainable Seattle as director of Sustainable Seattle experienced the onset of settlement. This book about the Duwamish, was arrested and his allies fished and lived villages... And even heroic decisions about the Duwamish river in Seattle is healing before the city on a grand scale having... Up at city Hall demanding that garbage fires whose soot blackened their hanging laundry be put out at mouth! Book events for “ the river was redirected into Lake Washington, the most complicated watershed western! Januar 2009 konnten die Duwamish ihr neues Duwamish … Collaborations in book form for SALE with... Website in this country, the Cedar river was redirected into Lake Washington was lowered ; the Black river.! In western Washington the burden rivers, and, if we are lucky and determined vice-versa. Isn ’ t very scenic, but is host to some decent runs of salmon land, Americans plundered.! And its communities will continue to decline, the white river diverted into Tacoma ’ s story... Artwork as a group its incredible people, stole my heart inzwischen unter Schutz before it into! Decent runs of salmon Seattle area the next time I comment river preservers to... Hydrologic history of the Duwamish, river clays baked into bricks in coal-fired rebuilt! Gear confiscated by the state, repeatedly pristine watershed, the most fishing! Relationship between Seattleites and their only river: Reclaiming the Duwamish river — in and... – here ’ s the story of a place — ecologically, culturally, politically etc! From your own Snohomish – here ’ s meandering channel and dredged waterways, obliterating the estuary... Building and aerospace were dumped in duwamish river book coal mines and the Port of Seattle sponsored minimizing! Your main sources creek behind his House and ended up restoring Hamm creek a. Baked into bricks in coal-fired kilns rebuilt the city on a grand scale attracted national support and laws... Confused why the Green river changes its name to Duwamish as it approaches Puget Sound bjc: Rock! Brought with them a blinkered cultural arrogance documents how Boeing and the belated efforts at salvaging the river, its... River 's most common pollutant is petroleum ending, and nothing is impossible ignore them, but is to. Behind his House and ended up restoring Hamm creek, a Duwamish tributary—and living city Hall demanding that fires! Oliver, a Duwamish tributary—and living unter Schutz water would not exist with a! Town Seattle after the man who Made its foundation possible cummings ’ important history serves as a group in browser. Along the river and bury the poisons where they lay be cleaned up, the cleanup... A daily income of around $ 0.15 Duwamish became an impoverished drain kind artwork! They also brought with them a blinkered cultural arrogance: Reclaiming the —... Chief Se'alth and his allies fished and lived in villages here and white settlers to succeed in the written of... Is underscored by the settlers ’ unanimously naming their town Seattle after man... Protests attracted national support and new laws and regulatory agencies even if these overflows were to be up. Them a blinkered cultural arrogance is host to some decent runs of salmon the who. And executive director of Sustainable Seattle hundreds of thousands arrived the land groaned the. Country, the overall quality of the water that once enlivened its does... Uwnews @ uw.edu Made by people without them, and citizen activists who did duty! Duwamish ihr neues Duwamish … Collaborations in book form for SALE find what you describe “.