Acorns, Hazelnuts & Fire: A Conversation with Elspeth Hay, Ron Reed, Joanna Brooks & Gale Pettifer

Acorns, Hazelnuts & Fire: A Conversation with Elspeth Hay, Ron Reed, Joanna Brooks & Gale Pettifer

In this episode, we are uplifting some of the ideas in Elspeth Hay’s remarkable book,   Feed Us with Trees: Nuts and the Future of Food [https://newsociety.com/book/feed-us-with-trees/?srsltid=AfmBOooceluW2hZ0KkE6y-3rBvPzW4A_f1n6-FK1YDgJVQFABy2Uj6Gz].  After starting with Sara Jolena offering a su [https://newsociety.com/book/feed-us-with-trees/?srsltid=AfmBOooceluW2hZ0KkE6y-3rBvPzW4A_f1n6-FK1YDgJVQFABy2Uj6Gz]mmary of some of the big ideas in the book, we move into a conversation with author Elspeth Hay and a few of the many people whom Elspeth has mentioned in the book: Ron Reed, Karuk tribal member and cultural biologist; Joanna Brooks, settler scholar and author of Why We Left; and Gale Pettifer, commoner and scholar of the New Forest in England. Together they trace a set of histories that turn out to be deeply entangled: Indigenous land dispossession in California, the enclosure of the English commons, the suppression of cultural burning, the erasure of ancestral foodways — and the folk songs, forest laws, and buried memories that survived all of it.  Timestamps 0:00  —  Welcome & introduction: Sara Jolena introduces the episode, inspired by Elspeth Hay’s book Feed Us with Trees, and the “no farm, no food” myth it challenges. 2:51  —  Guest introductions: Elspeth introduces Ron Reed (Karuk Nation, cultural biologist), Joanna Brooks (Why We Left), and Gale Pettifer (New Forest commoner and commons scholar). 5:44  —  Ron Reed’s opening story: childhood memories of harvesting acorns, mushrooms, and salmon; the Klamath Dam removal; and the ongoing fight to restore Indigenous fire practices with public trust objectives. 9:20  —  Gale Pettifer on the New Forest: a thousand years of contested common rights, Norman forest law, and what it means to still practice ancient commoning in the 21st century. 12:58  —  Joanna Brooks on settler scholarship and song: tracing her European ancestry through folk ballads, a grandmother’s lullaby, and a plate of hazelnuts at the British Museum that the curators couldn’t explain. 18:29  —  Fire across continents: Elspeth connects her experience of gorse burning debates in the New Forest to Ron’s work on cultural burning — the same argument, on opposite sides of the Atlantic. 30:58  —  Dragons, sacred fire, and colonial memory: a discussion of how fire moved from sacred to feared in Anglo-Saxon and English tradition, illustrated by the New Forest dragon legend and the introduction of Christianity. 34:31  —  Songs of grief and displacement: Joanna traces the emotional record of enclosure through English murder ballads — songs about hazel trees, beaver hats, and families starving off the land — and what they reveal about why colonial settlers “lost their minds.” 43:12  —  Magna Carta, common law, and the 1877 New Forest Act: Gale traces how brutal Norman forest law paradoxically became the foundation of commoners’ rights, and how public outcry saved the New Forest from privatization. 47:33  —  The allotment parallel: Elspeth draws a striking connection between English allotment gardens and the U.S. federal allotment system used to break up Indigenous tribal lands — the same word, the same colonial logic, on both sides of the ocean. 1:10:42  —  Cycles of colonization and reverse transmission: Sara Jolena traces how colonial practices — from plantation timekeeping to fire suppression — were exported back to Europe, and the importance of distinguishing imperial forces from common people’s forces within every culture. 1:16:11  —  Closing round: guests share what is shifting now — prescribed fire training in Wellfleet, MA; intergenerational transfer of fire ecology knowledge; the joy of reconnecting with the New Forest through free-roaming ponies — and an invitation to listeners to bring these ideas into their communities. Elspeth Hay Book: Feed us with trees [https://newsociety.com/book/feed-us-with-trees/?aff=65] Website [https://elspethhay.com/] Bio [https://elspethhay.com/about] Insta [https://www.instagram.com/elspethhay/] Ron Reed Article about Ron Reed - How Karuk ceremonial leader Ron Reed used Western science to take down the Klamath dams [https://mavensnotebook.com/2025/08/26/notebook-feature-how-karuk-ceremonial-leader-ron-reed-used-western-science-to-take-down-the-klamath-dams/] Interview featuring Ron - Fire is Food: A Virtual Brown Bag Discussion with Ron Reed and Kari Norgaard [https://online.ucpress.edu/esr/article/44/2/5/118437/Fire-is-FoodA-Virtual-Brown-Bag-Discussion-with] Joanna Brooks Book: Why We Left [https://www.upress.umn.edu/9780816681266/why-we-left/]  Website [http://joannabrooks.org/] Bio [http://joannabrooks.org/about/] Linkedin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/joanna-brooks-9010566/] Gale Pettifer  Linkedin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-gale-pettifer-32148918/] Bio [https://speakernet.co.uk/speaker/505/gale-pettifer] Send us a message [https://www.buzzsprout.com/310226/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/310226/support] Learn more [https://www.sequoiasamanvaya.com/] about Sara Jolena Wolcott and Sequoia Samanvaya Music Title: Both of Us Music by: madiRFAN  Don't forget to "like" and share this episode!

Cinema Ceremony and the Land: Filming an Ancestral Healing Journey A conversation with Nova Scott James

In this episode of the Remembering and ReEnchanting podcast, Sara Jolena Wolcott sits down with filmmaker and spiritual innovator Nova Scott James to trace the profound arc of her film journey. The journey begins with an exploration of Nova’s origins—from the influence of Harlem and childhood memories to the transformative power of cinema as a spiritual practice. We delve into the creation of her film 'Wild Darlings Sing the Blues' and the personal healing journey that informed her creative vision. The conversation then transitions into a deep dive into the collective’s latest work: a land-based healing documentary. Nova shares the visceral experience of honoring ancestral land, navigating the energetic weight of filming on former plantations in Virginia, and the serendipitous rituals guided by spirits. This is a story of building a Black queer women’s collective through trust, patience, and the labor of collective transformation. 00:00 - Podcast Intro 01:30 - Introduction to the Wild Darlings Collective 03:18 - Exploring Origin Stories and Childhood Memories 07:56 - Understanding Lineage and Spiritual Innovation 17:06 - Cinema as a Temple: The Spirituality of Film 25:05 - The Healing Journey Behind 'Wild Darlings Sing the Blues' 28:19 - Healing Through Psychedelic Therapy 30:13 - The Birth of a Creative Vision 33:34 - Exploring Ancestral Lineage 37:11 - Confronting Family History and Trauma 40:06 - Introduction to Day 2 Recording 40:28 - Introduction to the journey of creating a land-based healing documentary 42:33 - The initial visions and spiritual downloads that inspired the film 44:38 - The healing and spiritual practices of the Darlings Collective 46:48 - Building community through workshops and shared spiritual work 49:23 - The significance of land and spirits in the collective’s rituals 52:43 - Challenges faced with facilitators and group dynamics 56:58 - Rebuilding after adversity and seeking an elder for guidance 1:01:13 - Connecting with land in Virginia and the impact of sacred sites 1:05:38 - The serendipitous process of land selection and the role of spirits 1:12:28 - Filming on plantations: rituals, ceremonies, and the energetic environment 1:25:30 - The immersive experience of land-based ceremonies and prayers 1:32:48 - Observations of healing and collective transformation during the process 1:35:28 - The importance of compassion in ancestral healing work 1:38:38 - Personal reflections on integrating trauma and ancestral memories 1:41:48 - Deepening trust and love for the land, spiritual practice, and creativity 1:43:58 - Final thoughts: upcoming release and ways to support the project Movie Trailer: Wild Darlings Sing the Blues  [https://app.frame.io/presentations/a766c326-4128-41e2-aaee-8e195693b361] Fundraising page [https://wilddarlingssingtheblues.allyrafundraising.com/] Website [https://www.novascottjames.com/] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/novascottjames/?hl=en] Send us a message [https://www.buzzsprout.com/310226/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/310226/support] Learn more [https://www.sequoiasamanvaya.com/] about Sara Jolena Wolcott and Sequoia Samanvaya Music Title: Both of Us Music by: madiRFAN  Don't forget to "like" and share this episode!

Episode 48 - Bearing witness: Reflecting on some of 2025

In this special episode of the Remembering and Reenchanting podcast, hostess Reverend Sara Jolena Wolcott is joined by her friend, former student and collaborator, Gayano Shaw, for a reflection on the year of 2025. Going beyond our normal format where Sara Jolena uplifts other people’s work or shares some of her own, she invites Gayano to help her hold her own reflection. The process is loosely modeled after Sara Jolena’s circular time rituals. Standing in the beginnings of 2026, Sara and Gayano look back at a year marked by profound personal and collective shifts—from the literal birth of a new family member to the mourning of six significant deaths in six months as well as immense political change. They explore what it means to "take down the altar" in times of upheaval of cosmovision, the power of indigenous-led rematriation, and letting life help us learn to refine our own practice. Timestamps 00:00:03 – Introduction 00:01:40 – Purpose of Reflection: Sara explains her "Circular Time" reflection process, which she has practiced for eight years. 00:04:01 – Gayano shares her experience with Sara's circular calendars and the somatic nature of her teaching. 00:08:52 – January 2025: The start of the month-by-month and thematic look back at the past year. 00:10:46 – Family and Birth: Reflection on the birth of Krissy's grandchild and the "liminal space" of birthing. 00:13:15 – Work and Radical HR: Discussion of Krissy's new full-time job and the implementation of a three-month paid leave policy. 00:15:04 – Environmental Impact: Reflections on the Los Angeles fires and lessons from previous disasters like the fire in Paradise. 00:17:15 – Political and Indigenous Learnings: Sara discusses the presidential inauguration and learning from indigenous elder Pat McCabe. 00:37:26 – Cultural Revitalization: Observations from a gathering focused on indigenous healing and cultural strength. 00:58:29 – Public Speaking and Learning: Sara reflects on her growth and the challenges of stepping onto larger stages. 01:06:17 – Consistency and Improvement: Reviewing the year's progress in writing and teaching the "Remembering" course. 01:21:17 – Rituals of Death and Grief: Discussion on the importance of creating authentic rituals for death and loss. 01:31:30 – Societal Structures: Reflections on binary thinking, Christian nationalism, and the lack of processing time in modern society. 01:47:35 – Personal Challenges: Sara shares struggles regarding her mother’s care and the loss of insurance due to climate risks. 01:56:00 – Closing Thoughts: Final reflections on the richness of the current times and an invitation to "hold those seeds with care". More about Gayano Shaw: The Center for Nonviolent Communication [https://www.cnvc.org/trainers/gayano-shaw] Send us a message [https://www.buzzsprout.com/310226/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/310226/support] Learn more [https://www.sequoiasamanvaya.com/] about Sara Jolena Wolcott and Sequoia Samanvaya Music Title: Both of Us Music by: madiRFAN  Don't forget to "like" and share this episode!

Episode 47 - Talking about Time: A conversation with Meda DeWitt

In this episode, Sara Jolena talks with Meda Dewitt, a Lingit traditional healer, ethno-herbalist, educator, and artist from the Tlingit culture. Together, they explore themes of the perception of time in western and Indigenous cultures, the importance of storytelling, and the impact of seasonal changes on life. This includes the contrast between Native time and what Meda refers to as "managed time," emphasizing the need for balance.   The episode concludes with reflections on the personal and the collective in a rapidly changing world. Subsections 00:00 - Introducing Meda DeWitt 02:11 - Cultural Identity and Language 05:40 - Understanding Time in Indigenous Cultures (with a focus on Tlingit) 10:09 - The Nature of Storytelling and Memory 18:40 - Cycles of Life and Nature 25:31 - Native Time vs. Clock Time 27:47 - Navigating Between Clock Time and Organic Time 31:04 - The Impact of Managed Time on Well-being 35:28 - The Reckoning of Time in a Capitalistic Society 38:12 - Finding Balance in a Modern Context 43:05 Embracing Mortality and the Value of Time 51:39 - Moving Between Times Websites: Wilderness.org/imago SanctuaryAnimism.org medaforalaska.com [https://medaforalaska.com/] Facebook.com/sanctuaryanimism YouTube.com/@sanctuaryanimism Note: Tlingit culture is a matrilineal society from what is now referred to as Southeastern Alaska.  "Tlingit" means "people of the tides." Alaska has 229 federally recognized Alaska Native tribes, more than any other U.S. state, representing distinct indigenous cultures including the Yup'ik, Inupiaq, Athabascan, Tlingit, Haida, Eyak, and Aleut (Unangax/Sugpiaq).    These peoples are deeply tied to their ecosystems.  The major Alaskan ecosystems include: tundra, taiga (boreal forest), coastal rainforests, marine ecosystems (including the Gulf of Alaska, the Bering Sea, Chukchi Sea and the Aleutian Islands), mountains/glaciers; and wetlands and freshwaters.  The image used is from Fairbanks, Alaska, on the winter solstice. It depicts the short height and the narrow range of the sun on the winter solstice, when Fairbanks receives 3.5-4 hours of sunlight.  Photo: Todd Paris courtesy of University of Alaska Fairbanks [https://www.uaf.edu/]. Send us a message [https://www.buzzsprout.com/310226/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/310226/support] Learn more [https://www.sequoiasamanvaya.com/] about Sara Jolena Wolcott and Sequoia Samanvaya Music Title: Both of Us Music by: madiRFAN  Don't forget to "like" and share this episode!

Episode 46 - Reclaiming suppressed histories of women: A conversation with Max Dashu

Feminist scholar and artist Max Dashu joins hostess Sara Jolena Wolcott to delve into matriarchal societies and the rich breadth and depth of histories of the divine feminine and various forms of female leadership. Max shares how to navigate colonial and patriarchal narratives in your own cultural lineage as part of uncovering the rich heritage of women's leadership, spiritual power, and cultural contributions that have been systematically erased or minimized. Don't miss Max's 56 years of research into suppressed women's histories! Key Topics Discussed Decolonizing Historical Narratives [04:21 - 12:26] * How mainstream history gatekeeps women's stories * The bias of written records from "elite men of dominant societies" * Why we must look beyond Western Civilization narratives The Archaeological Evidence [08:08 - 15:12] * Ancient female figurines across continents * How women's representation changes from Paleolithic/Neolithic to later periods * The contrast between female self-representation and the male gaze Women as Inventors and Culture Creators [10:16 - 13:09] * "Mother tech" - women's innovations in agriculture, tool-making, and language * Women's role in creating the "life support matrix for humanity" * Grinding stones, basket weaving, and the origins of agriculture Matriarchal Societies and Mother Law [26:02 - 36:38] * Characteristics of matriarchal/egalitarian societies: matrilineal descent, matrilocal residence, social motherhood * Non-aggression codes and communitarian ethos * Women's public spiritual leadership across cultures Global Examples of Women's Power Africa [19:02 - 26:02] * The Saharan rock art and the "Lady of Aouanrhet" * Rain goddesses and rainbow beings in African traditions * Pre-dynastic Egyptian ceremonial practices Ancient Near East [16:48 - 19:02] * Asherah in Hebrew tradition - the suppressed goddess who stood in the Jerusalem temple * Mother of the Gods figures across Mesopotamian cultures * Linguistic connections between Asherah, Athirat, and Ashtoreth West Africa [36:38 - 38:42] * Market women's economic power * Yorùbá priestesses * South African isangoma (diviners/medicine women) The Complexity of Patriarchalization [45:14 - 53:31] * Patriarchy as historical process, not inevitable human condition * The case of India: layers of patriarchy from Indo-European invasion to colonization Goddess Traditions in Patriarchal Societies [48:59 - 55:31] * Why India maintains goddess worship despite extreme patriarchy * Sanskritization and cultural appropriation of indigenous goddesses Reclaiming European Ancestral Practices [56:14 - 01:04:08] * Pattern recognition vs. cultural appropriation * Spinning, weaving, and the distaff as women's spiritual power Sacred Technologies * Spinning and weaving as spiritual practice * The distaff and drop spindle across cultures * Songs and chants that accompanied women's work Medicine for Our Times [01:03:01 - 01:10:42] * The power of lamentation as ritual and political practice * Why we need to grieve collectively for current atrocities Follow Max on: Instagram: @maxdashu Facebook: @max.dashu Website: www.suppressedhistories.net Send us a message [https://www.buzzsprout.com/310226/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/310226/support] Learn more [https://www.sequoiasamanvaya.com/] about Sara Jolena Wolcott and Sequoia Samanvaya Music Title: Both of Us Music by: madiRFAN  Don't forget to "like" and share this episode!