Shammah Salwa

My grandmother once asked me, what is the smallest revolutionary act anyone can participate in? It is to plant a seed and feed a neighbourhood.

 

Uprooted from her home and living in the matrix of industrial landscapes, women wage war (reclaim spaces) on developers and planners 

 

to build trellis skyscrapers for squash vines, paint sidewalks purple and red with amaranth and hyacinth beans and trade currency in the form of bittermelon and okra

 

Her rebellious spirit reminds me of the words of Ron Finley, “growing your own food is like printing your own money”; 

 

And we are just trying to build wealth as health. 

Eat the rich, with a side of Three Sister’s soup,

Home Depot labels the Peace Lily, “Private Property Perennials”

Graffiti moss your boss’ Bentley

Bypass the by-laws, sunbathing and spitting sunflower seeds onto the graves of first settlers of “Scarborough”

 

Tactics for survival in a concrete desert.