‘Wusatoumuduk: We Make It Burn’ Brings on Nationally Acclaimed Director Tara Moses, Seeks Local Native Actors

This is a press release from Wusatoumuduk: We Make it Burn:

Director Tara Moses (credit: Nile Scott Studios)

“Wusatoumuduk: We Make it Burn” is a new multi-media play about Cultural Fire envisioned, created, and collaboratively written in present day Humboldt County, Ca. Based on the vision of Wiyot Tribe member and former Cultural Department Director Marnie Atkins, this play is about the historical role fire has played in California Native land stewardship and the barriers to tribal people bringing back “good fire” to the land within settler-colonial systems of land and resource management.

The project is produced by Sugarbush Hill Moving Lhatsik, a Dreammaker project of the Ink People for the Arts, and led by artistic directors Zuzka Sabata and Michelle Hernandez. All rights to the materials created by the project are retained by the Wiyot Tribe.

The project’s artistic directors are proud to announce the addition of nationally acclaimed theatre director Tara Moses (Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, Mvskoke) to the team. Moses is an award-winning director, multi award-winning playwright, and co-founder of Groundwater Arts currently residing on Narragansett land, Rhode Island.

Moses will be directing the outdoor production slated to open in October 2026 with a tour of local parks funded by Arts in California Parks.

The play centers the story of a young Wiyot woman who is learning about fire ecology in college and through her culture at the same time. With the support of her family she navigates cultural and emotional dissonances, grief, and a deeply personal relationship to fire.

The multi-media play features traditional Wiyot stories told through filmed shadow play, projections, live shadow puppetry and a full length script with a cast of 5 actors, and will be performed outdoors on a set designed and built by James Hildebrandt.

The production is seeking local Native talent to audition for three roles:

Della: 40-55yrs, female

Lou: 20-28yrs, female

Thomas: 25-35yrs, male

Those interested should send their resume to [email protected] by June 15th, 2026.

The play was written by Maggie Peters (Yurok/Karuk), Merry Kate Lowry (Yurok), Solomon Everta (Turtle Mountain Chippewa), and Marnie Atkins (Wiyot) with Artistic Directors Michelle Hernandez (Wiyot) and Zuzka Sabata, an inter-tribal group with direct connections to local efforts to restore fire to the landscape.

“Wusatoumuduk: We Make it Burn” will be promoting the play at June Arts Alive next Saturday on June 6th, 2026. We invite the community to come see three traditional Wiyot stories (“lhatsik”) animated through filmed shadow puppetry and projected on a large screen outside of the Wiyot Tribe’s Da Gou Rou Louwi’ Cultural Center from 7:30-9:00pm thanks to support by the Eureka Cultural Arts District.

These filmed shadow play stories will be a part of the touring production in October. The project is also supported by the Native Cultures Fund and the First Peoples Fund.

Puppeteers Laura Muñoz and James Hildebrandt rehearse (credit: Zuzka Sabata)

fire in the shadow world (credit: Zuzka Sabata)

rehearsing “Joumashk” (“slug” in Soulatluk) in James Hildebrandt’s
studio (credit: Zuzka Sabata)