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Kwagiulth Museum & Cultural Centre
The Salmon Ceremony:
The Salmon Ceremony is held each year when the first salmon runs begin, usually around
June. The ceremony is held to thank the salmon, as members of the Animal Kingdom, for
allowing themselves to be killed in order to provide food for humans. The Kwakwaka'wakw
people believe that if the salmon are not thanked properly they will not come back the next year,
or that something bad will befall the salmon stock. This notion comes from the Kwakwaka'wakw belief that animals are part of the Animal
Kingdom, which is made up of beings who can transform themselves back and forth between
their animal forms and their human forms. Animals give themselves up freely in order to provide
food for humans. At one time, thousands of years ago, humans and the Animal Kingdom beings
could communicate with each other. However, over the years, humans have lost their power to
see animals in their human forms. This belief is expressed in one of the Sewid family dances
called "Anus and the Animal Kingdom." The Kwakwaka'wakw people believe that animals,
such as the salmon, allow themselves to be caught, and that if their remains are treated correctly,
the animal will return home and become another animal, and eventually sacrifice itself again.
Therefore, if the Animal Kingdom is not properly thanked for its sacrifice there will be no more
food. This is the reason the Kwakwaka'wakw people hold the Salmon Ceremony and celebrate the
first run of the salmon each year. They are ensuring that the runs will come back again the
following year. It is very important that the salmon runs return, because throughout the history of
the First Nations people on the British Columbia coast, the salmon have been a major staple of
their diet and an integral part of their lives. This is why the salmon is one of the most celebrated
members of the Animal Kingdom.
The Salmon Ceremony is held each year when the first salmon of the run is caught. The salmon's head, bones, and entrails are separated from the flesh and wrapped in a cedar mat or bow. The wrapped salmon remains are then handed over to a set of twins from the village. Twins are entrusted with the remains of the salmon because twins are believed to come from the Salmon People, and are seen as lucky. The twins then carry the remains down to the water while the rest of the village follows. Once at the water's edge, the elder of the village chants and gives thanks to the Salmon People for providing his people with food. The salmon remains are then put into the water so that the salmon can return home to its people and tell them how well it was treated. Because the salmon's remains were placed back in the water, the salmon will come back to life and return again the next year.
After this ceremony everyone goes back to the Big House for dancing and a feast. The Salmon Dance is performed by twins and their siblings, who represent a salmon in the dance. An older sibling of the twins forms the head of the salmon, the twins form the body, and a younger sibling forms the tail of the salmon. After the Salmon Dance other dances are performed. When the dancing is over the feast begins. The meat from the salmon that was used in the earlier ceremony is cooked up and eaten by all. This salmon, as well as other salmon, are prepared and eaten along with a variety of other dishes. The close of the feasting marks the end of the Salmon Ceremony and celebrations. The Salmon Dance is not exclusive to the Salmon Ceremony, but is also performed at potlatches and other occasions throughout the year.
The above description of the Salmon Ceremony was provided by Dora Cook and Lucy Olney. Dora and Lucy are sisters from the Sewid family. They grew up on Village Island, located in the mouth of Knight Inlet. Both are from the Mamaleleqala band which is part of the Kwakwaka'wakw Nation. The Sewid family was blessed later in life with the addition of a set of female twins. The family attributes their prosperity and success in life to the luck brought to them because of the twins. In the Sewid family, Lucy forms the head of the salmon while her twin sisters, Mable and Emma form the body of the salmon. However, because the twins are the youngest in the family their salmon is tailless.
For more pictures of the Salmon Ceremony or for pictures of salmon processing click on the appropriate button in the side bar at the top of this page.
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