Hello and welcome to episode nineteen of Prose. This week endure a Kafkaesque transition, watch the world end, and make the acquaintance of the keepers of all knowledge.
You should also go follow Prose on Twitter through @prosepodcast or on Facebook under the same handle, though Twitter is the far more active of the two.
I want to take a moment to plug an amazing documentary titled Downstream People. To quote from their Indiegogo page: “Established in 1972 as the first federally protected river in the United States, the Buffalo National River flows freely for 135 miles and is one of the few remaining undammed rivers in the lower 48 states. Managed by the National Park Service, this gem of the Ozarks is a paradise for camping, swimming, canoeing, fishing, and kayaking.
“It flows through several rural, impoverished communities of the Ozark Mountains, including those in Newton County, now home to C&H Hog Farm. Built in 2013 under a questionable permit process with little public notice, this corporately contracted Confined Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) poses an enormous pollution risk to both the Buffalo National River watershed as well as the people who dwell within that watershed. Downstream People explores issues of rural gentrification and environmental injustice through a community in the crosshairs of both.”
When asked why he made this film, Director Andy Sarjahani said:
“‘As an avid outdoorsman who grew up in the foothills of the Ozarks with an education in sustainable agriculture and food systems, this project came at me "like a burglar in the night" as Werner Herzog would say. It was one of those things in life that I don't feel like I had a choice in the matter --I had to make this film. I left academia to pursue a career in documentary film to tell stories like this and I could not think of a more fitting first project.
“I made Downstream People because I believe that human beings and the environment are not separate entities and both should be respected rather than exploited. When these hidden rural areas are exploited, the people who live there are taken advantage of too. I hope this film is seen by not only the residents of Newton County, but by viewers everywhere who can learn about the importance of addressing rural gentrification and the exploitation of natural resources.’
Please head to their Indiegogo page to learn more, watch the preview, and support the project.
Lastly, I can’t end an introduction without telling everyone to please head over to iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, or the podcast-catcher of your choice and leave a rating and/or review for Prose. Doing so truly helps this podcast keep going.
Thank you for taking the time to listen to Prose. Let’s get to the tales, shall we?
This week, we have “Sushi Night, or すてきな ,” “A Sunrise,” and “The Knowledge Keepers.”
Enjoy!