Emergence Magazine Podcast The Fault of Time – Erica Berry
Apr 15, 2025
In this engaging conversation, Erica Berry, a writer deeply affected by the environmental changes in Montana and the Pacific Northwest, navigates her fears surrounding wildfires and earthquakes. She reflects on how nature's impermanence can lead to transformation rather than loss. Berry discusses the intersection of Indigenous wisdom and colonial narratives, emphasizing how these stories shape our understanding of catastrophes. Through personal anecdotes, she invites listeners to embrace the fluidity of time and its connection to identity and the environment.
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Wildfire's Impact on Landscape Memory
- Erica Berry recounts hiking after a wildfire near her grandparents' home, feeling a mix of loss and gratitude.
- She struggled with the sudden change to a landscape she had loved and expected to find stable.
Human Timescale Limits Earth Perception
- Erica realized her desire for stable landscapes stemmed from her narrow human timescale.
- She recognized that seeing earth only through personal time blinds us to its broader flux.
Cascadia Earthquake Fear and Awe
- At an artist residency on Washington's Long Beach Peninsula, Erica loved the landscape but feared the coming Cascadia earthquake.
- Local warnings and history of the fault made her grapple with inevitable transformation.
