First Fish, First People: Salmon Tales of the North Pacific Rim

The arc of land and water forming the North Pacific Rim is a cut lace work of rivers running to the great ocean. The salmon, sacred to people who lived along the pathways of its journey, once engorged these rivers, but no more. Twelve writers from cultures profoundly based on salmon were asked to write about "the fish of the gods" from both a historical and a contemporary perspective.These writers from two continents and four countries are Ainu from Japan, Nyvkh and Ulchi from Siberia, Okanagon and Coastal Salish from Canada, Makah, Warm Springs, and Spokane from the United States. Their writing remembers the blessedness and mourns the loss of the salmon while alerting us to current dangers and conditions.The text is enhanced by glyphs--traditional designs from each Nation--and photographs, both contemporary and historical, as well as personal family pictures from the writers. These words and images offer a prayer that our precious remaining wild salmon will increase and flourish.