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Valley of the Spirits
Short Documentary (WIP)
Dir. Georgia Krause
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The Gorge Dam is a cement monolith pinned in the crook of the American Cascades. While providing renewable energy to the Seattle metropolitan area, the dam has emptied a 10-mile section the Skagit River, threatened a keystone species, and disfigured a place of spiritual reverence for the people who first inhabited the land.
Valley of the Spirits documents the Upper Skagit Tribe's effort to mitigate the presence and impacts of the Gorge Dam. The film also considers the perspectives of those who advocate for renewable energy and its central role in global carbon mitigation.
Valley of the Spirits is co-directed by Georgia Krause and myself, and is currently in production.
The project follows Scott Schuyler, a fisherman, environmental advocate, and tribe elder. Scott, and those of the Upper Skagit Indian Tribe, share a special connection to the area. Here, the misty basins shoot up into rugged, snow-capped peaks. It is the Valley of the Spirits.
As Scott describes it, “It's a type of church. It was the source of our religious belief system… many Upper Skagit experience that significance, and feel our ancestors' presence to this very day, and know that they are here.”
Land can be valuable to people in many different ways. For some it is a resource, and others, a spiritual wellspring. Land management, then, is an inherently complicated burden. As global citizens, we are often posed with a decision between stewardship of the land and stewardship of the planet.
Our story examines the dissonance between sustainable energy and environmental justice, and asks, who really bears the brunt of climate adaptation?
These conversations are particularly critical now, as the Gorge Dam enters into a mandatory license renewal process. Since 2002, Scott has represented the Tribe in negotiations with the operators of the dam, Seattle City Light. He is currently advocating for the inclusion of fish ladder infrastructure, as well as fighting for the health of the salmon and bear populations in the area.
Our time in the North Cascades has also introduced us to those who advocate for the use of hydroelectric power. We have spoken with employees of Seattle City Light – they are also poets, archaeologists, and mushroom foragers.
The ecological impact of the dam is obvious to those we spoke with, as is the pressing need to transition away from a carbon-based society. Shared across these perspectives is an authentic concern for the health of the environment.
Georgia and I are both based in the Seattle area, and we live off of the power generated by the dams. We are also young members of the global community, and we support a transition towards sustainable energy. At the same time, we are concerned that the momentum of the energy transition can trample over those caught in its path. Open conversations and thoughtful solutions are critical for a just future.
Valley of the Spirits has taken us through the breathtaking valleys of the North Cascades, and down the gorgeous Skagit River until it empties into the Salish Sea. We have cast nets, visited hatcheries, and sat for dinner with community members from all walks of life. Through these experiences, the film has become a platform through which we consider these personal and universal conversations about stewardship and environmental justice.
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