In early spring, during the time of Wihlaxs (the Black Bear’s
Walking Moon), salmon fry leave their hatching grounds in search of nursing water. It doesn't take long for these tiny
fish to become independent of their yolk sacs. After a couple of years, the
little sockeye becomes a smoult, preparing itself to move from freshwater to
the saltwater of the ocean. When the spring salmon make their trek up the
Skeena River, it is time for these smoults to make their journey to the sea.
The Gitxsan, who live near the
Skeena River, prepare their nets to capture these spring salmon. A ceremony is
held to give thanks and pray that the salmon will always return and nourish the
people and land.
The smoults who make it to
the Pacific swim north to feed and grow. After two years, the “sockeye mother”
swims against the current of the river to return to the exact place where she
was spawned. This is the time of Lasa lik’i’nxsw (the Grizzly Bear’s Moon).
People and bears catch thousands of salmon at this time. Grizzlys often carry
their catch into the forest where they eat only the eggs and fatty bellies leaving the
rest of the fish to decay and nourish the forest.
The salmon that make it to the
nesting areas lay their eggs and “die a replenishing death” thus fertilizing
the water and land.
What I love most about this
book is how it highlights the Salmon’s role as a keystone species both
ecologically and for the Gitxsan people in Northern BC, culturally. At the same
time as it takes the reader through the life cycle of this important fish, it
shows us how connected the people are to it during each phase.
I appreciated that the text
uses Gitxsan terms and doesn’t hesitate to use challenging vocabulary. It explains
that the sockeye has to avoid predators and “dodge the changing landscape
denuded by the clear-cutting of man.” Some scientific vocabulary is explained
in small text boxes. The back matter gives extra information about the Gitxsan
people and shows a map of their unceded territory.
The sense of connection between
people and salmon is there in the use of the Gitxsan language in the text, but
it’s integral to the illustrations. The images are gorgeously coloured in the
shades of the rainforest and river. Having visited this part of the world, I
can attest that it captures the terrain brilliantly. What brings it all
together though, is the use of traditional art into these landscapes.
All school libraries should own
at least one copy of this book.
Below is a video that provides a pronunciation guide for the language used as well as additional information.
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