Wakanish Naknoowee Thluma: 'Keepers of the Salmon'

Abstract

CHARLES F. SAMS III Wakanish Naknoowee Thluma 'Keepers of theSalmon THE NATIVE RIVER PEOPLE oftheN'ChiWana orColumbia Rivertella story about the creation of humans. The Creator sentCoyote down from the top of themountains to the river to ask the animals of theworld for gifts in the creation of humans. As Coyote was walking down a trail to the river,he looked up and saw an eagle. He asked, "Eagle, Creator asks ifyou could give a gift to this thing called human thatHe is creating?" Eagle replied, "I will give some ofmy eyesight so humans can see thebeauty of this land." Coyote took Eagle's gift and placed it in amedicine bag. As Coyote came through the trees of the forest, he spotted an elk eating in ameadow. Coyote called out, "Elk, Creator asks ifyou could give a gift to this thing called human thatHe is creating?" Elk walked over and said, "I will give part ofmy hide so the humans can cover themselves and have protection from the elements of the earth." Coyote took this gift and placed it in themedicine bag. Coyote continued down the trail, and as he was leaving behind the tall trees of the forest, he heard the call of an owl. Coyote looked up into the trees and told the owl, "Creator asks ifyou could give a gift to this thing called human thatHe is creating; can you give something for thismedicine bag?" Owl replied, "I will give part ofmy hearing so humans can hear the sounds of thewind, the birds, and other animals of the earth." Coyote took owl's gift and placed it in themedicine bag. Soon Coyote spotted a small river running into the big river.As he walked near the river,he saw a beaver building his home. He called out to beaver, "Beaver, Creator ismaking this thing called human and He wants to know ifyou can provide a gift to it?"Beaver told Coyote, "Iwill give a portion ofmy teeth so the human can eat and receive nourishment." Finally, Coyote came to the edge of theN'Chi Wana just as the salmon were making theirway over Celilo Falls. Coyote yelled out over OHQ vol. 108, no. 4 ? 2007 Oregon Historical Society The author'sgrandfather,Charles F. Sams, Sr., on the left, fishes at Celilo Falls in about 1949. the loud sound of rushing water and told the salmon, "Creator asks ifyou could give a gift to this thing called human thatHe is creating; can you give something I can place in thismedicine bag?" Salmon replied, "Of course I will. Iwant to provide two gifts.One ismy body, so the humans will have food thatwill make them strong and healthy. Iwill also gift to the humans my voice, completely, so they can talk with one another." Coyote is very impressed with these gifts. Salmon calls out one last time, "With these gifts come a big responsibility, though; I ask that humans speak forme and for all the other animals and plants of the earth. The humans must promise to protect us now and for future generations." Coyote took these gifts and returned them to theCreator forHis use in creating the human. This storywas first told tome by Tessie Williams, along the banks of the Umatilla River in the 1970s.Not toomuch later, Iwas retold this storybymy grandfather, Charles F. Sams, Sr., along theN'Chi Wana, while fishing near Cascade Locks. My grandfather wanted to instill in me the responsibility we, as humans, have to salmon and to the river that supports their life.You see, Sams,Wakanish Naknoowee Thluma since the beginning of time, ithas and will always be humans' responsibil ity to be the Wakanish Naknoowee Thluma or Keepers of the Salmon. By fishing in our traditional ways along theColumbia River, we continue to be nourished by the gift of the salmon. Prior to the inundation of Celilo Falls in 1957,Celilo was the heart of our fishing community and the economic center for the River People. For at least fourteen hundred generations, my family and my people traveled to Celilo to harvest the salmon we needed in order tomaintain our life and our culture. Celilo was the center of...