The Salmon & the Grizzly Bear

Salmon Are Sacred: Salmon Are Our Food Fishery

Right: Nuxalk Salmon Parade, 2 June 2010 When the first Spring (Chinook) Salmon return to the Bella Coola River, the Nuxalk gather to give thanks, walking from the House of Noomst to the Song House. Hereditary chiefs, from left: Sixilaaxayc (Noel Pootlass), Anulhkw'iklmlayc (Aaron Hans), Qwatsi (David Clellamin) and Nanus (Mike Tallio)

"The Nuxalk people have always kept our food fishery separate from the commercial fishery to protect the food fishery from exploitation and over harvesting. Food fish is for personal use and to maintain the health and structure of each Nuxalk family. The Nuxalk Fisheries Office is a scientific based research facility focused on the salmon and other fish species, with a clear goal for conservation, assessment, enumeration and enhancement project development and implementation." Jason Moody, Fish Biologist, Nuxalk Fisheries Office Right: Cooking salmon in the Song House, Salmon Ceremony, Bella Coola, 2 June 2010

The Bella Coola House of the Grizzly Bear

"You can put on your dancing blanket and say that you're proud to be from the House of the Grizzly Bear, or you can put on your dancing blanket and say that your Grandfather was a Raven, or you can say that you are proud to be a Killer Whale . . . but what is happening to the Grizzly Bear? To the Raven? To the Killer Whale? They're getting kicked out of their house . . . what are you doing about it? And you put on your blanket and say you're proud? I don't think so. It doesn't work that way" Nuxalk Elder Elsie Jacobs Right: Canadian Museum of Civilization c. 1920 ethnology photo of a Nuxalk man in traditional dress wearing a crown of grizzly bear claws

Grizzly photos by Edward Moody (Qwatsinas) – Tatsquan Rip Rap Project

NUXALK STRONG – NUXALK FOREVER