| There are several species of salmon fish in the Pacific | | | | back into the water. Minutes later, the four individuals |
| Northwest region. These are the Coho, Sockeye, | | | | who originally turned into the salmon fish reappeared |
| Pink, Chum, Atlantic and the largest which is the King | | | | and joined the others.Over the next few days, the |
| or Chinook. Salmon are born in the rivers and swim | | | | guests watched the Salmon people repeat this |
| down to the ocean where they live in the saltwater. | | | | process with the salmon bones over and over again. |
| At spawning time, they return to the river where | | | | However, during a subsequent feast, one of the |
| they were born, lay the eggs, and then die. The | | | | guests from the expedition secretly held back some |
| young hatch and start the life cycle over again. | | | | of the salmon bones. This time, when one of the |
| Salmon fish have always been an important mainstay | | | | Salmon people came back from out of the water, he |
| food source for the Northwest Native Indian people | | | | was covering his face and said that some of the |
| as well as much wildlife in the region including many | | | | bones must be missing since his cheeks were gone. |
| large birds, bears, and river otters. This is the reason | | | | Another said that she was missing her chin. Alarmed |
| why the salmon is a popular subject in Northwest | | | | by what had happened, the guest brought out the |
| Native Indian artwork and culture.According to | | | | missing salmon bones he had previously held back. |
| Northwest Native Indian legend, the salmon were | | | | The two Salmon people with missing body parts then |
| actually people with superhuman abilities and eternal | | | | went back into the sea with these bones. Upon their |
| lives. The Salmon people lived in great houses under | | | | return back to land, both Salmon people had their |
| the ocean but since they knew that humans on land | | | | complete bodies again.The expedition asked the chief |
| needed food, they offered themselves to the land | | | | to let some of his Salmon people visit their waters |
| based tribes as food by turning into salmon fish. Their | | | | and streams to help supply much needed food. The |
| spirits were returned back to the ocean where they | | | | chief agreed to do so as long as the tribe agreed to |
| were reborn again. One tribe on land was short of | | | | throw back all the salmon bones into the water so |
| food because the salmon never came to their | | | | that the Salmon people could return home intact. If |
| waters. But they heard about the Salmon people. So | | | | this was not respected, the tribe was told that the |
| the chief sent out an expedition to find these Salmon | | | | Salmon people would refuse to return to the tribe's |
| people in order to ask them to come to their waters. | | | | waters. So the tribe always honored the return of |
| After many days of travel, the expedition arrived in | | | | the salmon to their streams every year and |
| a new land where the Salmon people were. The chief | | | | respected the rules set by the Salmon people chief. |
| of the Salmon people ordered four of their villagers | | | | This ensured an adequate food supply for the tribe |
| to go into the sea where they became salmon as | | | | every year.One interesting fact is that when White |
| soon as the water reached their faces. He ordered | | | | men first arrived to the region, the Northwest Native |
| others to retrieve these new salmon fish which were | | | | Indian people did not want to sell salmon to them. It |
| then cooked as a welcoming feast for the guests in | | | | was feared that the salmon not be treated with |
| the expedition.The chief told the guests to eat as | | | | respect by the White men who were ignorant of the |
| much but the bones of the salmon fish, even the | | | | required customs and regulations set by the Salmon |
| smallest ones, were not to be thrown out. All of the | | | | people.Clint Leung is owner of Free Spirit Gallery an |
| salmon bones were collected by the villagers after | | | | online gallery specializing in Inuit Eskimo and |
| the guests were careful enough to lay them into little | | | | Northwest Native American art including carvings, |
| piles. The Salmon people then threw these bones | | | | sculpture and prints. |