“Reunioning” is an interactive, place-based experience, uplifting the rich legacy of Wahnabezee as a site of ecological significance and celebration. Integrating mixed-media photo collage within the natural landscape, Halima Afi Cassells and Shanna Merola guide participants through a visual exploration of the island’s delicate eco-system while paying homage to indigenous plants and wildlife.
“Reunioning” recognizes the unceded land of Wahnabezee as a historic site of liberation and joy for Black, brown, and indigenous Detroiters. Despite centuries of settler-colonial attempts to control and privatize the island, it remains — to this day — a site of resistance and celebration for majority-Black Detroit. The natural resources of water and land have also provided sustenance for centuries as city residents continue to fish from the same streams inhabited by lake sturgeon who have roamed these waterways for one-hundred and fifty million years.
