Lesbian Land Audio Interviews Online – Southern Lesbian Feminist Activist Herstory Project

Check out these interviews with women who started or participated in lesbian-feminist land groups, safe places to develop new lesbian culture in the South.

Compiled by Rose Norman.

The Sallie Bingham Center for Women’s History and Culture is archiving all of our SLFA Herstory Project interviews. They have begun posting some of them online in audio format here:
https://repository.duke.edu/dc/slfaherstoryproject.

Following are links to interviews with women who started or who participated in lesbian land groups, all of whom have stories in Landykes of the South, vol. 98, Sinister Wisdom (2015). Lesbian Natural Resources reprinted several of these stories in Landykes: Our Stories in Our Own Words, available sometime in 2022 or 2023.

Barbara outdoors dressed for bushwhacking, wearing a wide-brimmed hat — Barbara Lieu in 2021

Barbara Lieu, Alapine Village, northeast Alabama

As of May 2022, Alapine has 34 residents on 45 two-acre lots, and some undeveloped lots will be available in 2023. Sales website: www.alapine.wordpress.com, or email alapinesales (at) gmail (dot) com. Some residents formed Alapine Community Association, and they have a website: www.alapine.org. They maintain a building for overnight visits. You can visit and reserve a room by contacting them at AlapineACA (at) gmail (dot) com.

Audio Interview: https://repository.duke.edu/dc/slfaherstoryproject/7b453c5d-0e12-4af1-80f1-9c45c84c5130

Blanche at Womonwrites in 2011.

Blanche Jackson, Maat Dompim, Appomattox, Virginia

This interview concerns the original women of color land, which has since been sold, but the land trust still exists and owns two acres in Appomattox, where Blanche now lives and is offering space for travelling wimmin. Contact: maat.dompim (at) gmail (dot) com, Facebook, and Messenger.

Audio Interview at Duke

Bonnie and Barbara are seated on the ground outdoors, Barbara wrapped in a blanket. — Bonnie Netherton (left) with Barbara Deming, at the 1983-84 Peacewalk.

Bonnie Netherton, Sugarloaf Women’s Land Trust, 1976 to the present, Sugarloaf Key, Florida

Rose Norman and Corky Culver spent a week at Sugarloaf in 2013 interviewing Bonnie Netherton and others for a story about Sugarloaf Women’s Land Trust for Sinister Wisdom (volume 98, Fall 2015). The audio online is from one of those interviews, and it includes three voices: Bonnie Netherton, Corky Culver, and Rose Norman.

Audio Interview: https://repository.duke.edu/dc/slfaherstoryproject/a9673391-2c6c-47f1-b0c8-8c909a6fc5ab

Connie in closeup wearing a baseball cap and facing the camera, behind her a coastal scene. — Connie Tarpley in recent years.

Connie Tarpley, Sugarloaf Women’s Land Trust, Sugarloaf Key, Florida

Rose Norman recorded this interview in 2013 when she was visiting Sugarloaf and writing a story about the community for the women’s land issue of Sinister Wisdom (volume 98, Fall 2015).

Audio Interview: https://repository.duke.edu/dc/slfaherstoryproject/b6e90ec7-a0b3-40f4-9b6a-7722d5fed0eb

Corky outdoors in a hayfield — Corky baling hay near the North Forty in 1975.

Corky Culver, the North Forty, 1972 to the present, near Gainesville, Florida

This link compiles several short interviews recorded in 2012, when the SLFA Herstory Project was just beginning to do interviews.

Audio Interview: https://repository.duke.edu/dc/slfaherstoryproject/5c2177fa-a356-4eb4-8009-875234ecf928

Diana is facing the camera wearing a colorful top against greenery — Diana Rivers in 1999

Diana Rivers, Sassafras, then Ozark Land Holding Association (OLHA), 1981 to the present, near Fayetteville, Arkansas

Rose Norman recorded this interview with Diana Rivers at Womonwrites in 2012, when the SLFA Herstory Project was just beginning to do interviews.

Audio Interview:
https://repository.duke.edu/dc/slfaherstoryproject/128ec2b4-a6b2-45e7-bc4f-96007a4db660

Gwen’s arm is around Gail’s neck and they are smiling at the camera — Gwen Demeter and Gail Atkins in 1999

Gail Atkins and Gwen Demeter, Silver Circle Sanctuary, 1982 to the present, northern Mississippi, near Memphis, Tennessee

Rose Norman and B. Leaf Cronewrite interviewed Gail Atkins and Gwen Demeter at Womonwrites in 2013, when the SLFA Herstory Project was just beginning to do interviews. Leaf did a followup, unrecorded interview at Silver Circle later. Gail Atkins died in 2020, at age 79.

Audio Interview: https://repository.duke.edu/dc/slfaherstoryproject/19b23808-a7eb-4f96-8a3f-e3f3bd4b336a

Kate is outdoors wielding a power tool — Cedar Heartwood at SPIRAL

Cedar Heartwood, SPIRAL, 1981 to 2016, south central Kentucky

Cedar Heartwood now lives at the North Forty. She was interviewed about SPIRAL in 2015.

Audio Interview: https://repository.duke.edu/dc/slfaherstoryproject/8af78e21-79c9-4829-aa29-5be0f6ae73cf

Shewolf is driving a tractor and making the “We Can Do It” arm. — Shewolf mowing her pastureland in the 1980s.

Jean Boudreaux, “Shewolf,” Womonworld, 1985 to 2002, south Louisiana. Barbara Esrig interviewed Shewolf in 2013.

Shewolf died in 2020, at age 88.

Audio Interview: https://repository.duke.edu/dc/slfaherstoryproject/a011eb7c-d271-4631-9555-5021403c7746

Jean “Shewolf” Boudreaux Photograph Collection, Newcomb Archives and Vorhoff Collection, https://newcomb.saas.dgicloud.com/islandora/object/navlsc:shewolf

Thirteen women including three infants and children, a dog and a cat grouped outdoors — Full Circle Farm residents and friends. Lynn is top row, second from right.

Lynn Hicks, Full Circle Farm, 1988 ti the present, southwest of Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Rose Norman interviewed Lynn Hicks by phone in 2014, in preparation for a story for the Landykes issue of Sinister Wisdom (volume 98, Fall 2015).

Their website is fullcirclewyms.wordpress.com, email LCLiving (at) aol (dot) com.

Audio Interview: https://repository.duke.edu/dc/slfaherstoryproject/bd33373c-4025-4b0d-8e13-60b5aff38d18

Aguila is seated outside smiling — Aguila in recent times.

Maria Christina Moroles, “Águila” (formerly Sun Hawk), Santuario Arco Iris (1977-present), near Fayetteville, Arkansas. Rose Norman interviewed Águila by phone in 2014, in preparation for the Landykes issue of Sinister Wisdom (volume 98, Fall 2015).

A very remote wilderness area, founded by women of color. Email: docturanatural (at) gmail (dot) com. Website: arcoirislaclinica.wordpress.com. [This land is open to allied men. Ed.]

Audio Interview: https://repository.duke.edu/dc/slfaherstoryproject/c69588e5-e925-462c-b18d-aa4075f869c9

Myriam is seated outdoors on a couch under a Pagoda sign. — Myriam at her Pagoda cottage in recent times.

Myriam Fougère, the Pagoda, St. Augustine, Florida. Rose Norman and Corky Culver interviewed Myriam Fougère at her Pagoda cottage in 2014, in preparation for a Landykes issue of Sinister Wisdom (volume 98, Fall 2015). Material from this interview was also used in an arts issue of Sinister Wisdom (volume 104, Spring 2017), and in a book about the Pagoda, a lesbian, intentional community in St. Augustine, FL, active 1977 to 1999,

Myriam has co-owned a Pagoda cottage since 1988 and now rents it to lesbians only.

Audio Interview: https://repository.duke.edu/dc/slfaherstoryproject/89d14bf6-dc20-48cc-bdb6-19849e962d96

Naj during her travels, 1985.

Naj McFadden (also known as Tenaj), travelling dyke, is interviewed about her travels to women’s lands from December 1983 to July 1986. Rose Norman interviewed Naj McFadden by phone in 2014, in preparation for a Landykes issue of Sinister Wisdom (volume 98, Fall 2015).

Audio Interview: https://repository.duke.edu/dc/slfaherstoryproject/dc384c45-db7f-4468-adae-d0510f6e02ae

Nett Hart wielding a shovel — Nett Hart doing foundation work a few years ago

Nett Hart, the Web, 1981 to the present, Granite Ledge Township, Minnesota. Rose Norman interviewed Nett Hart in 2015, for a Landykes issue of Sinister Wisdom (volume 98, Fall 2015). Nett Hart was interviewed about Lesbian Natural Resources, which has awarded grants to many Landyke groups.

Audio Interview: https://repository.duke.edu/dc/slfaherstoryproject/02163275-a5a4-4bf6-9fa5-7d9a14a3b3a0

Seven women seated on and in front of a couch — l to r, on couch, Barbara Lieu, Jean Adele, Fayann Schmidt, Ellen Spangler, Morgana MacVicar (on arm of couch); seated in front of couch, Rose Norman, Emily Greene

Pagoda Women at Alapine

The Pagoda was active as a lesbian residential community and cultural center from 1977 to 1999 in St. Augustine, Florida. In 2014, Rose Norman interviewed six, former Pagoda residents, some of whom were cofounders: Barbara Lieu, Ellen Spangler, Emily Greene, Fayann Schmidt, Jean Adele, and Morgana MacVicar. Emily Greene’s video of this interview is archived with the Lesbian Home Movie Project. The interview was recorded at Alapine Women’s Village, the community that some Pagoda cofounders started in the mountains of northeast Alabama.

Audio Interview: https://repository.duke.edu/dc/slfaherstoryproject/04568a3f-87e0-4dc2-bfd4-44b8cebd1eb8

Sally in her youth — Sally Willowbee at home on her farm in 1972.

Sally Willowbee, Peacemaker Land Trust, 1971 to 1973, small farm near Hinton, West Virginia. Rose Norman interviewed Sally Willowbee by phone for the Landykes issue of Sinister Wisdom (volume 98, Fall 2015). Sally Willowbee was also instrumental in forming the community land trust that now owns Sugarloaf Women’s Village.

Audio Interview: https://repository.duke.edu/dc/slfaherstoryproject/52fb4349-06ed-4c5d-9ca0-a359800b33bd

Rainbow Williams smiling for the camera — Rainbow in 2020, sitting outside Riverview, her St. Augustine, Florida, home and gallery, with art projects mounted on the exterior wall.

Sue Parker Williams, “Rainbow,” the Pagoda, St. Augustine, Florida

Rainbow was a Pagoda resident from 1984 to 2013, and she was one of the four women who formed Fairy Godmothers, Inc., that bought the Pagoda cultural center and swimming pool in 1999. Unable to sustain it, they sold the property in 2016. Rainbow died in 2022, at age 88.

Audio Interview: https://repository.duke.edu/dc/slfaherstoryproject/9c0021be-70a8-4f51-831d-4c05a7484b0f