Idaho salmon have been a historically significant resource for hundreds of years. However, salmon are not just important from an ecological standpoint, but they are vitally important to Native-American culture. This week on Sustainable Idaho, we speak to Diana Yupe, who is Native American interpreter and Salmon expert, to explore the cultural and spiritual importance of salmon to indigenous people within Idaho.
Last week on Sustainable Idaho, we got the opportunity to sit down Rachel Brinkley and Camden Kay, who highlighted the importance of Salmon within our ecosystems. We learned that Salmon are vital, because they transport nutrients from the ocean, where they spend most of their lives, to freshwater ecosystems, where they spawn, and then die, providing a source of food for so many types of animals. However, we discussed how this ecologically vital species is under threat. Currently, only 1% of the historical Salmon population is returning to spawn and as a result, Salmon in the Snake River are considered threatened under the endangered species act.
The loss of the Salmon population, isn’t just detrimental to Idaho’s ecosystems, but it is also a cultural issue for Indigenous people within Idaho. To find out more about why Salmon are significant to Indigenous people, both historically and currently, we talked to Diana Yupe. Diana is a Native American Interpreter for the U.S Forest Service, and is an expert on the tribal history surrounding the Middle Fork of the Salmon. Diana is also known as the Lady of the River and is a descendant of Chief Pocatello.
“The Tukudika, which means the big horn sheep eaters, have lived in the Salmon River Mountains for eons. The Tukudika are also known as Agaidika, meaning the salmon eaters. As native people we are often called what we eat, and so that is how the people up in the Salmon River Mountains gained their name. We lived there up until 1896, but then the military came and removed Tukudika out of those mountains. Recently though, we have started to go back as Shoshone and Bannock people to inhabit the land of our ancestors.”
Diana told us that that beyond being a crucial source of protein and food, Salmon hold a special cultural and spiritual significance.
“We hold a lot of reverence toward them because we are taking their life in order for us to survive. So, when we go out to do the salmon hunting we do a ceremony that honors the Agaidika and then afterwards there is certain rituals that are carried out to pay respect to the salmon and to the salmon poles. When we do the preparation of the Salmon we restore the nutrients back to the rivers by returning the salmon remains for other species to feast on. There is a lifecycle. Not just for us, but for all the life in the water.”
We further asked Diana, how the tribes have been impacted by the loss of the Salmon population and what they are doing to help in Salmon recovery?
“Because of the dams and because of these obstructions in the waterways, the salmon population have been diminished in the recent decades. So, our tribe, the Shoshone-Bannock, have implemented regulations for all of the tribal members to help preserve what is left of the Salmon population. In the 70’s when the fish started to become depleted, we had our tribal Fish and Wildlife Program start different programs to regenerate salmon in different tributaries and rivers.”
As Diana explained, Native-American tribes have taken an active role in restoring Salmon population, but we also learned that the tribal governments have been coordinating with each other, as well as state and federal agencies.
“By the United States Constitution, it says that Indian treaties are the supreme law of the land. Thus, states should be doing coordination between tribal governments and state governments. Furthermore, there are executive orders that call for coordination between federal agencies and tribal governments. We have also tried to do a better good of coordinating between tribal governments, so as try and have a unifying message when working with state and federal agencies.”
While Diana is encouraged by the inter-governmental cooperation, she acknowledges that the dams serve a purpose and that they are supported by other stakeholders.
“We have big companies and sports people that depend on these dams, so its important to recognize the other side when making these considerations. The coordination that we talked about earlier is critically important when trying to come to a mutual mindset about salmon preservation.”
Finally, we asked Diana if she is hopeful for the future of Salmon in Idaho.
“I want to be hopeful. I know that the has been done through tribal regulation and coordination have been critical important for salmon recovery and preservation. The tribal fish and wildlife program have been trying to increase coordination within Idaho, but also along the Columbia River. We try to renature the rivers through the way that we hunt, but also through the way that we practice out culture. But we also have to be very cognizant in how this resource, being Agaidika, is critical for the survival of Native- American culture.”
Clearly, Salmon are extremely threatened within Idaho and a large part of this threat is from Dams and other human modification to the river systems. Last week we learned that Salmon play a crucial role in the ecosystem. This week, by speaking to Diana, we’ve found out that Salmon are a vitally important part of Indigenous culture and spirituality. But also, we discovered that this issue is symbolic to wider discrimination and lack of consideration for indigenous communities and their culture.
I’d like to say, thanks very much to both our guest this week. Next week, we will continue this conversation with Diana where we will discuss education, inclusion and how Native- American culture needs to be protected and preserved for future generations. Join us for Sustainable Idaho, Tuesday morning at 7:35 am.