Artwork by Ezra Manjarrez
a mini-series exploring our cultural connections to fishing
Untangling features three individuals and “untangles” their connections to fishing— its many lines, threads, and stories. Black, Indigenous, and people of color are not only fishing but have been fishing for thousands of generations. These stories were created in partnership with Take Me Fishing, a trademark of the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation. Outside Voices is a project of Resource Media, produced with support from the Pisces Foundation.
Featured in this mini-series: Queen Quet, Brianne Lauro, and Autumn Harry
Episode 1: Gwine fishin with Queen Quet and the Gullah/Geechee Nation
Photo courtesy of the Gullah/Geechee Nation
For the Gullah/Geechee people, fishing is culture. Everything comes back to "making a circle", shares Queen Quet (she/her), chieftess and head-of-state of the Gullah/Geechee Nation, from throwing a circular cast net out into the ocean, to bringing balance and harmony back to the natural environment, and passing down cultural traditions to the next generation.
The Gullah/Geechee Nation encompasses over 100 sea islands along the Atlantic coast and about 30 miles inland. The Gullah/Geechee are descendents of enslaved people from West Africa and have largely been able to preserve their traditions, including fishing, which they depend on for their livelihood.
Episode 2: Familial fishing lines with Brianne Lauro
Photo courtesy of Brianne Lauro
A descendant of Filipino plantation workers who immigrated to Hawai’i in the early 1900s, Brianne Lauro (she/her) is the daughter, granddaughter, and great-granddaughter of local fishers and hunters.
In this second episode of “Untangling,” Brianne opens up for the first time about imposter syndrome and credits all she’s learned as a fisher to her Uncle Lance. While Brianne herself is relatively new to fishing, she’s learned that it’s become a way to connect with her family history, build and take care of her community, and share culture and knowledge across generations.
Resource mentioned in this episode: Detours: A Decolonial Guide to Hawai’i by Hokulani K. Aikau
Episode 3: Protecting water and Indigenous sovereignty with Autumn Harry
Photo from Autumn Harry’s Instagram (@numu_wanderer)
As the daughter of Indigenous water rights advocates, Autumn Harry (she/her | @numu_wanderer) was able to establish a connection to water and fishing at a very young age. Since then, she’s used her skills and knowledge to educate others on the history of Kooyooe Pa’a, or Pyramid Lake, as the first Numu Woman Flyfishing Guide in the U.S (@kooyooepaa_guides). She’s also led advocacy work and mutual aid efforts for food and land sovereignty to help her community, the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, thrive.
Resources:
- Website of the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe
- Information about Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) from Native Women’s Wilderness
- Pyramid Lake Fishing Guide: Be a Respectful Visitor by Autumn Harry
This mini-series was made in partnership with Take Me Fishing, a trademark of the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation (RBFF). RBFF works to increase participation in recreational boating and fishing, thereby helping to conserve and restore our country’s aquatic natural resources.
Hosted and produced by Sarah Shimazaki
Co-producers: Aly Ferguson and Neecole Bostick
Editing, music, and sound design by Jeff Alvarez
A production of Resource Media with support from the Pisces Foundation.
Album artwork by Ezra Manjarrez, a queer illustrator based in the Pacific Northwest. They center Black, Indigenous, and people of color in their work and are most passionate about collaborating with other activists, dreamers, and storytellers.
“Untangling” is available to stream wherever you listen to Outside Voices Podcast!
