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