by Skip Saunders
(Nuxalk)

Red Cedar, paint, bark (12”x8”x7”)

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Winwina – The Bringer of Salmon – Winwina once led a raiding party against the salmon, whose home is far to the west. His crew consisted of birds, which is not surprising, considering that the story belongs to the distant past when birds and human beings were not as clearly differentiated as they are now.

The expedition was under the especial protection of Kolxeta, a female supernatural shaman, who guided the canoe in which the raiders traveled by the force of her intellect as if it had been a compass. After a lengthy journey, the party reached the land of the salmon where the clouds obligingly drifted low in the heavens so that the fish could not see their foes. Each of the crew captured a different kind of salmon.

The Bald Eagle captured the spring salmon, Oltotdimut, “The One that Changes Itself”. The Hawk captured the sockeye salmon, Nunutakentinim, “The One that Penetrates to the Head of the Rivers. The Raven captured the hump-back salmon, Anukpimaix, “The One that Fills the Rivers”. The Water Ouzel captured the dog salmon, Sxaieltwa, “The Maker of Good Weather”. The Great Blue heron captured the cohoe salmon, Kpapstustusailaix, “The One that Makes Us Fat”.

As soon as the raiders had achieved their purpose they returned to Bella Coola and released their booty; since that time there has been an abundance of salmon in the river. (T. F. McIlwraith)