Salmon Mask

They say long ago the young girl Uma-kwee grew up in two villages that are now no more. Her favorite village called Kah-sidaatsoos – or Place-Where-the-Ocean-Sleeps – was built on a mainland hill above a bowl-shaped bay near a broad river -- which men still fish to this day.

After her chores she loved to walk on the beach to watch clouds drift above the waters and islands and to sing her young girl songs. Often it seemed that shrill sea birds and kingfishers joined in her music making -- as did the rhythmic waves breaking at her feet.

The inland coast was calm and the weather mild, protected from storms as it was by Great Island to the west. A chaste daughter of a Green Heron clan leader and a cousin of the chief’s second wife, her family lived honorably, remembering their history and serving the Great One in the Heavens with feasts and dances.

Uma-kwee was just like any other girl nearing her womanhood rites on that clear fall day. Her shoulder length black hair framed a delicate face when she removed the beaver skin head band after work. Her tall, thin torso was beginning to transform to the shape of a young woman.

How could she know that same morning while she walked on the beach her life's path made a turn that would lead to the summit of her destiny. Back in the winter lodge, her father and the ruling matrons of the tribe met privately to discuss her marriage.

"Uma-kwee could be given to a son of the Raven People. That would strengthen trade relations with wealthy villages in the region," Se'akwal reasoned with the four elderly women around a smoldering fire in the darkened long house. Pointing out that many new-made-women were being given in marriage to that powerful neighboring tribe.

"Or we could accept offers when made by suitors from one of the northern peoples who are devoted to Sky Ghost as we are," he said perplexed about what would be best for his only surviving daughter.

The matrons conversed together, then replied that they favored keeping with spiritual tradition. It would please their ancestors who first followed the way of the sky world and called upon Wonderful Doer of the heavens.

Se'akwal had anticipated their response, but as keeper of the Heron line after the death of Uma-Kwee's mother, it was up to him who would marry the new-made woman.

"The western tribes treat their women like slaves," said Matron Qkizacool who long objected to the Selawik practice of cutting the lips of girls to insert the labret plug jewelry piece.

"Their young braves mare their face and arms with crude tattoos," she pursing her lips in disgust.

 "And their young girls are unchaste," added another grandmother. "Their youth run from woman to woman like rutting elk."

Se'akwal replied that the Duwam'ha young people do not always remain pure. Now a days even some of the daughters of noblemen become pregnant before marriage rites.
"Our young girls pierce their noses and ears. Our young braves stain their faces with red paint. How different is that?"

He knew the Matrons were unmoved by his speech. They knew how wicked the Selawik could be. Behind his weak arguments in their favor hovered fear of offending the Raven honoring chiefs -- who seemed to be gaining wealthier the last few years.

"Their spirit guides are powerful. That cannot be denied. If I don't choose one of the Selawik sons, we will need a good excuse," he said looking up at the carved mountain lion face on one of the house poles, dimly lit by golden sunlight that filtered through otherwise invisible smoke rising from the embers of the house fire.

"The Raven People might refuse to invite us to mid-summer potlatch," a possibility that would not only humiliate the Duwam'ah clan leaders, but cause financial hardships for many families. The Duwam'ah tribe produced Razor Clam knife blades and boxes of fish cakes and earned large profits when trading with other tribes meeting for an annual Selawik feast and game party on the Great Island.

He could choose a northern suitor. But, such a marriage would also remind the Raven People of past rivalries suffered during the generation of coastal wars when the north and south endured near constant battle. Finding the proper suitor would be a difficult choice with consequences for the girl, her family and even the whole tribe.

Offending the Selawik might even spark a war.

Perhaps the decision could wait for another year or two?

Se'akwal considered the advice of the matrons when he returned to fishing that day.

"The girl and her children would live securely among the Raven worshippers," he thought, knowing on the other hand that if he followed the matron's preference his son-in-law would come to live in his own house and he would see her face everyday -- a face that showed the likeness of his first wife.

He would seek council of his wife. While the girl's stepmother, she possessed a birth mother's devotion.

He hoped also that the Sky Ghost might send him an insightful dream about the matter. Now his attention turned to the salmon and his work.

The salmon run was plentiful that rainy fall. Se'akwal's five sons had speared many large king and silver salmon that swam up the Duwam'ha river by the thousands – enough to make the water glow silver in the sunlight as the crowd of struggling fish-people pushed against the current to rejoin the spirits of their long ago ancestors at the headwaters.

As always the women carefully saved any bones in baskets for returning to the river to honor the salmon and ensure their return next year. Some of the red fillets were crushed in a large wooden bowl with the family pestle -- made of smooth black stone in the shape of a bear -- along with a mixture of fresh red huckleberries and nettle roots bound together with candlefish fat to make many cakes that were carefully steamed and wrapped for winter storage.

Uma-kwee was proud of the cakes, made the way that her great grandmother taught her daughters with a recipe passed on for generations. The cakes were sought for by all the neighbors and relatives who came for dinner on special occasions. Steamed in cooking boxes lined with salty sea asparagus and heated by hot rocks from the home fire, each cake held together in one piece when picked up for a taste.

The richly flavored cakes had to be rationed from her brothers who would eat them all in one sitting if they could. She carefully wrapped each morsel in broad maple tree leaves and packed them into the storage boxes that were carved and painted with figures of octopus, starfish, loon and killer whale.
Growing up in peaceful Kah-sidaatsoos was full of happy memories of her people, enjoying holidays and ceremonies that marked the seasons and life passages such as births, winter songs, pre-marital parties, weddings, thanksgiving celebrations and memorial services. She learned all of the songs for each event and could repeat the words of the storytellers during the winter ceremonies before they were spoken.
Winter winds would come soon, bringing the rain and snow of her favorite season. Winter was the time to enjoy all of the foods prepared in the summer and fall. The hard work of hunting and gathering was over. It was a time for the family to rest peacefully in the warm long house, carving art, chipping arrowheads, weaving baskets or blankets, playing games, telling stories and singing songs.
Continued