by Hannah Saunders
The past two years for Revolutionary Grains, an organization dedicated to building an alternative supply chain for the industrial food system, has been partially spent weaving together 16 stories from Washington’s Indigenous seed keepers into a quilt, “Engrained Is Our Story.” Revolutionary Grains will display the quilt at an art event on Nov. 7, which will consist of dances, songs, oral story-telling, and a feast. Attendees will also have the opportunity to create the final borders of the blanket.
“One of the goals of this project is narrative change through the cloth itself,” Fatema Boxwala, operations director, told TtS. “We also want to convert that into policy change, and based on what we’ve heard from our storytellers, really figure out the barriers at the city, county, and state level here in Washington that make it so easy for industrial modern wheat and agriculture to thrive.”
Boxwala and Simren Kaur Rai, founder, met in 2023 while both were pursuing a Masters of Fine Arts Degree from Seattle University. Simren holds a passion for food justice and agriculture, and Boxwala has worked as a seamstress and fiber artist. About three to four months into their friendship, the pair developed the vision for this project.
“Washington state is consistently one of the fourth largest producers of industrial wheat in the nation,” Boxwala said. “The harm that is done by industrial modern wheat agriculture is well studied and reported on; it’s bad for soils.”
Furthermore, about one in eight adults in Washington and one in six children are food insecure, according to the Washington State Department of Health, and many immigrants lose access to culturally-relevant foods. At the same time, many industrial grains produced in the state are being shipped overseas, which also has an impact on water quality.
Kaur Rai highlighted how grocery stores, like PCC and Whole Foods, offer ancient grains yet advertise them in colonial and neo-liberal terms.
“People will say things like, “Rediscovering this grain,” or they talk about the health benefits, but they don’t talk about the culture. One of our largest goals is to create an alternative supply chain where empathy and stories are at the center,” Kaur Rai told TtS.
Revolutionary Grains is seeking to connect consumers with storytellers and seed keepers, Boxwala noted. During times of human migration— and oppression— Indigenous grain keepers, particularly women, braided or sewed seeds into cross fabric, Kaur Rai said, allowing them to bring their culturally-diverse foods with them.
Looking towards the upcoming event, Boxwala said she is excited for the food that will be served by Jeremy Thunderbird, who owns and operates Native Soul Cuisine. The first portion of the event will allow attendees to meet the storytellers and become involved in art-making, while the second portion will feature performances. This project’s storytellers include Jeanine Gordon of the Swinomish Nation and Melisa Meyer of the Duwamish Nation, among others. Thunderbird has also put together a large menu for a multi-course feast.
“We really want it to be an opportunity for people to experience the story with every part of their senses… and interact with the seeds, but also with their taste,” Boxwala said.
Kaur Rai expressed excitement for the dancing aspect, and highlighted how the event will be a celebration for the seeds that are in the quilt.
“So often, the industrial agriculture complex makes change feel so daunting, like people feel prescribed to the trajectory that we are on, because so much is controlled in a way that feels too high up or too far away to create change. But, if you slow down and look around and you listen to the people around, there’s momentum for change happening,” Kaur Rai said. “I want people to know that change is possible. It’s not daunting, and it’s happening right now.”
The event will take place at Seattle Town Hall on Nov. 7, with doors opening at 5:30 p.m. Register here.
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