Show Notes
At the headwaters of the Mississippi, six storytellers share how Northern Minnesota’s waters have shaped their lives, their identities, and their sense of place.
In this episode, you’ll hear from Connie Cox, Deane Johnson, Chi binesikwe (Karen E. Goulet), Steve Maanum, Emily Schilling, and Dakota & Amy Sather, each offering a different window into the landscapes, memories, and relationships that flow through Itasca.
From ancient glacial history and enchanted bogs to water as ceremony, childhood adventures, dragonfly “water memories,” and the joy of learning to fish, these stories reveal the many ways water sustains, teaches, and connects us.
The exhibit is being hosted by Itasca Biological Station and the Department of Natural Resources at the Lakeside Museum in Itasca State Park from now until August 10th, 2026.
You can learn more about We Are Water MN at We Are Water MN - Minnesota Humanities Center
Special thank you to Mumble Media, who conducted our interviews for Itasca State Park. Thank you to our interviewees for this episode.
We are Water MN is a project of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota Humanities Center in partnership with the Minnesota Historical Society; the Board of Water and Soil Resources; the Minnesota Departments of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources; and University of Minnesota Extension.
We Are Water Minnesota is funded by the Clean Water Fund, part of the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment, which was created by the vote of the people in Minnesota on November 4th, 2008.
You can find We Are Water MN on Instagram and Facebook, where you can follow along for the latest updates!
Music Credits: Little Water Dreams by Thomas Hoffmeyer from Pixabay
More from The Watershed
This special episode of The Watershed Podcast celebrates 100 years of water quality testing on the Mississippi River and the communities who have fought to bring the river back to life.
In this episode of The Watershed Podcast, we explore six powerful stories from community members living in the Capitol Region Watershed District in St. Paul.
Thanks for listening to The Watershed, a podcast from We Are Water MN. In this episode, we’re joined by Sarah Holger, a woman who lives in the Zumbro River watershed and who has dedicated her career to getting kids connected to the outside world. Sarah dives into her past and shares about a magical swamp that has helped shape who she is today.
Thanks for listening to The Watershed, a podcast from We Are Water MN.
Thank you for listening to The Watershed! This podcast is produced by We Are Water MN, a traveling exhibit and community engagement initiative. In 2026, the exhibit will visit five communities throughout the state of Minnesota: Byron (Oxbow Park & Zollman Zoo), St. Paul (Capitol Region Watershed District), Park Rapids (Itasca State Park), Little Falls (Great River Arts), and Blaine (Anoka County Library). Learn more about We Are Water MN at www.mnhum.org/water. We Are Water Minnesota is led by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota Humanities Center, in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Health, Agriculture, and Natural Resources, the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources, the Minnesota Historical Society, and the University of Minnesota Extension. We Are Water Minnesota is funded by the Clean Water Land and Legacy Amendment fund, which was created by the vote of the people in Minnesota on November 4th, 2008. You can find We Are Water MN on Facebook, Instagram, & TikTok, where you can follow along for the latest updates! Music: Calm Water Sound Meditation from Pixabay