Calling the Salmon Back to the Upper Yuba

Posted by Catherine Stifter

October 13, 2006

A ceremonal Chinook salmon speared in the Lower Yuba River travels 7 miles by foot, 9 miles in a boat, and another mile by foot to return to historic spawning grounds on the South Fork.

The October 7th sunrise lit more than 100 faces of people witnessing the Tsi-Akim Maidu perform the Calling Back the Salmon Ceremony for the first time in 158 years. We gathered under the huge concrete bridge at Parks Bar on the Lower Yuba River. Maidu tribe member Jason Ryberg was sent to the cold waters to fish for the spirit salmon with a forked wooden spear. About 30 support runners (including me) prepared to run alongside Jason as he carried the salmon on its 7 ½ mile journey home to the South Yuba waters above Englebright Dam.

Englebright Dam is a 260-foot-tall concrete plug erected on the Lower Yuba in 1941 to catch hydraulic mining debris. (It provides hydropower and an artificial lake for boaters and anglers and holds back tons of mercury- and arsenic-contaminated mine debris.) It blocked wild Chinook salmon from returning to nearly 200 miles of historic habitat in the upper reaches of the North, Middle, and South Yuba Rivers and tributary creeks.

At mid-morning a loud cry of "Salmon coming!" was heard from the lookout. Within minutes, a truck arrived carrying the shivering fishermen and a 2-foot-long male salmon wrapped in burlap and tied with a hemp rope. A flag was tied to the spear and raised up by the flag runner. Spectators lined the road as Jason slung the fish in his arms and began to run. The flag runner and support runners settled in around Jason as he set a loping pace.

The 30 or so support runners were men and women, Indian, white and mixed, teenagers to 50s and maybe even 60s. Some had fasted for 2 days in the traditional manner, ready to bear the flag or take the fish should Jason falter. Others wore bright orange vests, slowed traffic along the route, gave constant encouragement and passed water bottles to whomever needed a drink.

We ran on quiet back roads and treacherous 2-lane Highway 20. We huffed up the steeper hills, running when we could; walking when we could no longer run. We ran with humor, respect and thankfulness. We were bringing a salmon home to a community that values everything salmon represents: wild natural food, Native and non-Native cultural integrity, clean water, and a healthy river.

As a large group ran down the hill to a waiting boat on Englebright Dam, spontaneous cheers burst out. "Salmon coming", we yelled with glee, "for the elders. Salmon coming, for the children, Salmon coming, for the rivers and the skies and the forests and the people." The boat would carry the salmon the last 9 miles up the reservoir where Jason and the flag runners would bring it the final mile to the ceremony on the free-flowing, Wild and Scenic section of the South Yuba River.

I'd say everything was special, magical, and perfect. A peaceful kind of excitement rippled in the air as the fish ran along. It blanketed the land as we passed and flowed through the waters as the fish was carried across the river to the ceremony. The whole day sparkled. The hunter was strong and willing to carry the salmon the whole way home, while a community gathered in respect and prayer to call the salmon back to the Yuba.

The Calling Back ceremony was performed in a sacred circle at Bridgeport State Park by an elder who gave the ceremony back to the Maidu, brought it home where it belongs. Fins and tail parts were returned to the fire. Then the elders and hunter and flag bearer walked four times round the fire. Then we all walked four times round giving honor to the four directions. Cooks prepared the salmon and the hunter returned the remains back to the Yuba River. We ate BBQ salmon together. Lots of salmon. And it was delicious.

I overheard that there was a competition among Chinook salmon in the ocean to determine who would be our spirit salmon. It was said that they jostled each other and swam rapidly upstream to be the first in 158 years. When I first learned of this ceremonial day, I knew I would run. Even though I hadn't run 7 miles in recent memory. It didn't matter. I knew I would be part of it somehow. As a white person and California emigrant, I want to thank the Maidu for inviting everyone to participate in helping them revive the Calling Back ceremony. It was a great honor to help them bring this whole big tribe together, Indian and non-Indian, in the Sierra foothills that we call home.