Cultures of Energy 237 - The Canyon (feat. Robert Savino Oventile)
Aug 31, 2025
Robert Savino Oventile, a poet and author of 'The Canyon', shares his profound connection to Eaton Canyon and the devastating impact of the recent Eaton Fire. He discusses how his poetry reflects the bond between art and ecology, supporting the restoration efforts of the area. The conversation highlights the importance of ecological relationality, the role of local knowledge during wildfires, and how creative expression fosters community resilience. Robert emphasizes the need for slow engagement with nature and honors the Indigenous heritage of the land.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Grandmother's DIY Fire Defense
- Cymene recounts her grandmother and partner defending their remote mountain home with a generator-pumped pool and a heavy fire hose.
- They once used this system to hose down roofs and stayed through fires when evacuation wasn't the norm.
Poems As Pre-Fire Time Capsule
- Robert framed his poems as snapshots of Eaton Canyon between the 1993 Kenaloa fire and the 2025 Eaton Fire.
- World Weather Attribution and weather extremes suggest climate change amplified conditions leading to the 2025 disaster.
From Theory To Evacuation
- Robert describes evacuating on January 7 after reading climate theory then being told by his wife to leave because of a massive fire.
- He and his wife escaped to his sister's house while nearby blocks suffered home losses.
