I STAND FOR SALMON (PART 2)

SALMON

Salmon were made versatile but delicate. They could survive any act of nature, but they could not survive evil acts of neglectful abusive strangers set to damage nature and earth. Chemicals and toxic wastes in the water effects salmon like Small Pox blankets affected the indigenous at first contact not long ago. The salmon can flee, but to where? And, what is it spreading?

Salmon is endangered because of many forces beyond any control, but mostly because nature has been interrupted by foreigners and they refuse to correct their errors because they changed nature “For the best.”

The low population of salmon is another warning (like the canary in the mine), that ocean and earth’s spirits are beyond the breaking point.

The big river in my homeland, It Ajuma, ran sweet to the ocean and brought us Salmon every season. This was the case ever since earth began turning around sun. One day in the early 1900’s PGE, with carelessness and some deliberate ignorance laced with greed, put a dam across the river. Salmon and other migratory fish could not complete their spawning cycle. I suspect it was whispered in the corporate office, “For the best.”

My people and much life along the river were attuned to the return of the salmon, waiting in a calm yet dignified and excited expectation. The first loud splash on the river, made by a salmon clearing the surface to slap back in, caused much happiness. Bears gathered at the river. Osprey and eagles gathered along the river. My people gathered at the river. Salmon, our main diet, a diet that kept the people and landscape healthy forever, returned once again as they have since the beginning.

That cycle stopped one day. Our diets changed and not for the better. Life along the river changed, looking over its shoulder while walking away to hunt for food. The landscape faced a sudden famine. The natives faced famine, too. We are yet in the recovery mode.

The ocean is very sick because of toxic waste and poisons being dumped in it. The ocean is nearly empty because of fishing practices, and the use of 40-foot nets that strain fish of all sizes and takes from the ocean, much of which is not used but dumped back as a carcass. Some sinking to the bottom to rot.

Many from Europe in their arrogant posture refuse to acknowledge that earth and nature are alive with feelings and deep emotions, know pain, abuse and neglect. They giggle and point fingers at the humble natives singing to the dawn and to all of the powers of the universe. Many natives were instructed to sing love songs to Mother Earth, and we must.

One day the fish will respond to the poisons created “For the better,” then life will follow. Too late we will find “For the better” is our final song.

The warnings are ignored. Poisons flow into the sea. We cannot breathe. We cannot swim in the ocean. Where do we go? What do we do?

As I was instructed by the Elders of my childhood, I will go to the mountain top at dawn and sing a love song to Earth. I will sing a song for salmon, too.

That is all,
Sul’ma’ejote