A musical ode to the Arrowleaf Balsamroot: a morning with Epona and Rainan Heathen at the Saskatoon Circle Gathering, in the Methow Valley, Washington

Episode #24 the Ground Shots Podcast features a field recording of a morning spent with Epona Heathen and her child Rainan outside their camp at the 2019 Saskatoon Circle Gathering in the Methow Valley, near Twisp, Washington. Epona sings a few striking and emotive songs for me, and speaks about her intentions behind her music. This episode is especially focused on Epona’s song ‘Our Lady of the Sunflower,’ an ode to the Arrowleaf Balsamroot, Balsamorhiza sagittata (Asteraceae), a common and gloriously beautiful plant of western turtle island that paints the hillsides yellow in Spring.

 

In this conversation with Epona, we talk about:

 

octave mandolins and Epona's relationship with the instrument

some occasional comments and conversations from Rainan, Epona's child, in the background

some of the seasonal and life cycle themes that inspire Epona's music

Epona's journey writing music for Rainan and connecting with her ancestors for him

Epona's Irish and West African roots in the mountains of western North Carolina

opening up to the love of the land faces us with the grief of it's loss too

Epona's relationship with the Arrowleaf Balsamroot plant

Sitting with the land when grief arises

Epona sharing some of the wisdom that Finisia Medrano shared with her over the years

an experience Epona had in Hell's Canyon

a few thoughts on tending the wild food gardens 'hoop' in the west

thoughts on the coyote and modern culture

 

Links:

The Heathen Family on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_heathen_family/?hl=en

Epona’s personal instagram: https://www.instagram.com/once_epona_tone/

A collaborative music project of Epona and Alex Heathen: Mirror Fauna. https://mirrorfauna.bandcamp.com/

Bob Gernandt instruments– octave mandolin/ irish bazooky: http://www.gernandt.com/

A book I think folks should read to follow up on our coyote talk in the conversation: 'Coyote America' by Dan Flores

Movie trailer on film being made about Finisia Medrano called ‘The Life of Fin:” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Vv9V-K7wc0

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Theme music: 'Sweat and Splinters' by Mother Marrow

Produced by: Opia Creative