EAGLE WHO DISCOVERED SALMON

The Totem pole illustrates the legend of how Salmon came to the Rivers Inlet, British Columbia, Canada.

Chief Garl Gum Ga Su had a little daughter named Yeda. Soon after Yeda learnt to talk, she told her Mother she was hungry for salmon. On being told no one knew what a salmon was, she commenced to cry and refused all foods. Fearing she would die, Chief Garl Gum Ga Su called his wise men and asked, what are salmon and where could they be obtained? None knew. At that moment, the flying spiritual Eagle entered the council to announce “the salmon are fish people and I will find them.” The Eagle left and flew for days till he located the home of the salmon. Now, the salmon had a chief called Chief Meah Si La, whose little son was playing and jumping in the water. The Eagle watched and when no one was looking, seized the fish and flew off. Chief Meah Si La commanded his people to retrieve his son. They swam fast but could not overtake the Eagle.

The Eagle arrived at the mouth of Wanook River depositing the little fish in shallow water where upon Chief Garl Gum Ga Su placed a net at the entrance confining the little fish. The Wanook women hastily made long ropes of shredded cedar bark and when the salmon people ascended the river, the men captured them, tying them side by side through the gills and fastening the end of each rope to the Totem pole in front of Chief Garl Gum Ga Su’s home, hence the name NME ISS BEEK which means “Tethering Totem Pole.”

When Yeda saw the salmon, she ceased crying. In joy, the father held the first salmon feast.

Since 1962, the Totem Pole stands tall and is in the following order from top to bottom.

EAGLE

SALMON

WHALE (crest of Chief of the tribe)

CHIEF (Chief Garl Gum Ga Su)

BEAR (crest of Chief of tribe holding Cheif’s daughter, Yeda)