As the Tribe’s primary source of food, salmon was an integral part of the Tribe’s life. They believed that the salmon had a spirit, and that the salmon had to be treated with the utmost respect or they would not return the next year. The Tribe showed their respect by developing ceremonies and taboos--that is, restrictions--for catching, preparing, and eating salmon.
The Klallam people had many restrictions regarding salmon, many of which were designed to honor the spirit of the salmon in order to ensure the salmon’s return in future years. For example, the salmon drying poles were replaced each season to make the salmon happy, because the Tribe believed that the salmon played on them while they were drying. Sometimes the restrictions also came with a warning about what would happen if the rules were broken. For instance, there are many tribal stories about the dire consequences that happened to tribal members after they made fun of a salmon (Gunther 1927).
There were also more specific restrictions for special salmon. It was considered a bad omen when a fish with a crooked mouth was caught, because it was the leader of the salmon. To ensure that the salmon would return (even though their leader was gone), the Tribe followed special preparation instructions, which included boiling the fish, sharing the fish only among the children of the village, and then releasing the bones of the fish under the water. A boy’s first salmon was also subject to special restrictions. The boy’s grandmother cleaned and prepared the fish, and then it was eaten by tribal elders and the bones were thrown into the water (Gunther 1927).
The spring salmon, which arrived in the middle of April, were the first salmon of the year. The return of the salmon was a time of great celebration, and the first salmon caught each year was celebrated in the First Salmon Ceremony. The host’s wife created a specially prepared soup with the first salmon, which was then shared with everyone in the village except the host (Gunther 1927). The tradition of the First Salmon Ceremony is still carried out. Today, the Tribe demonstrates the importance of the occasion by using a ceremonial cedar canoe to bring the fish to the shore, rather than a modern fishing boat (O'Connell 2001).
The event is held at the Elwha River at the end of Lower Elwha Road. Cedar bark branches are gathered, and put together to form a small raft for the fish. A prayer is said. The fish is put into the water to float away. Elwha Klallam songs are sang. This ceremony happens to ensure that the fisherman will have a good year.
Spring salmon, because they represented the return of the salmon, had even more taboos than other types of salmon. For example, unlike other salmon, the head and eggs of a spring salmon are never dried. It was believed that a fisherman would lose his luck at fishing if he dried the head of a spring salmon. Also, the spring salmon’s head and bones could not be kept in the house overnight or they would bring bad luck (Gunther 1927).