The Salmon in Northwest Native Indian Artwork and Culture

There are several species of salmon fish in the Pacificback 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 Kingand joined the others.Over the next few days, the
or Chinook. Salmon are born in the rivers and swimguests 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 whereHowever, during a subsequent feast, one of the
they were born, lay the eggs, and then die. Theguests 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 mainstaySalmon people came back from out of the water, he
food source for the Northwest Native Indian peoplewas covering his face and said that some of the
as well as much wildlife in the region including manybones must be missing since his cheeks were gone.
large birds, bears, and river otters. This is the reasonAnother said that she was missing her chin. Alarmed
why the salmon is a popular subject in Northwestby what had happened, the guest brought out the
Native Indian artwork and culture.According tomissing salmon bones he had previously held back.
Northwest Native Indian legend, the salmon wereThe two Salmon people with missing body parts then
actually people with superhuman abilities and eternalwent back into the sea with these bones. Upon their
lives. The Salmon people lived in great houses underreturn back to land, both Salmon people had their
the ocean but since they knew that humans on landcomplete bodies again.The expedition asked the chief
needed food, they offered themselves to the landto let some of his Salmon people visit their waters
based tribes as food by turning into salmon fish. Theirand streams to help supply much needed food. The
spirits were returned back to the ocean where theychief agreed to do so as long as the tribe agreed to
were reborn again. One tribe on land was short ofthrow back all the salmon bones into the water so
food because the salmon never came to theirthat the Salmon people could return home intact. If
waters. But they heard about the Salmon people. Sothis was not respected, the tribe was told that the
the chief sent out an expedition to find these SalmonSalmon 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 inthe salmon to their streams every year and
a new land where the Salmon people were. The chiefrespected the rules set by the Salmon people chief.
of the Salmon people ordered four of their villagersThis ensured an adequate food supply for the tribe
to go into the sea where they became salmon asevery year.One interesting fact is that when White
soon as the water reached their faces. He orderedmen first arrived to the region, the Northwest Native
others to retrieve these new salmon fish which wereIndian people did not want to sell salmon to them. It
then cooked as a welcoming feast for the guests inwas feared that the salmon not be treated with
the expedition.The chief told the guests to eat asrespect by the White men who were ignorant of the
much but the bones of the salmon fish, even therequired customs and regulations set by the Salmon
smallest ones, were not to be thrown out. All of thepeople.Clint Leung is owner of Free Spirit Gallery an
salmon bones were collected by the villagers afteronline gallery specializing in Inuit Eskimo and
the guests were careful enough to lay them into littleNorthwest Native American art including carvings,
piles. The Salmon people then threw these bonessculpture and prints.