Page 6 - Chehalis Tribal Newsletter - May - June 2023

6

Elders were delighted
to see fish heads
were on the menu.

Rio Lara-Bellon and Karen Klatush share why the Chehalis Tribe’s Salmon Ceremony is a tradition brought back to honor
the fish and all those who fought for the right to fish.
Salmon Ceremony Decades-long tradition pays

respect to sacred fish, history

By Frazier Myer in the 1990s. Davis and Bellon have since
passed away, but their legacy will last
he Chehalis Tribe invited the forever.
community to gather and enjoy a Chehalis tribal member Karen Klatush
T festive meal on May 20 during the spoke about the history of the ceremony
2023 Salmon Ceremony. that Silas Heck used to coordinate. At
Introduced decades ago, the event some point, the tribe stopped hosting
serves as a way to honor the salmon, a it as ongoing battles with the state took
main resource tribal people have used place. She said many fishermen were
to sustain themselves for generations. involved in the movement to protect the
Each year, the ceremony carries on tribal right to fish rivers that flow through tribal
traditions by teaching youth the stories of reservations.
their ancestors. Rio Lara-Bellon, Richard’s widow,
The carcass of the first salmon caught shared part of her story at the Salmon
is released down the Chehalis River on a Ceremony and said she was “happy to be
cedar plank followed by a grand feast in here.” She spoke about the significance
the afternoon. of the old fish pit behind the Natural
This year, the Fisheries Committee and Resources building. The Fisheries
tribal members wanted to acknowledge Committee used to hold its meeting at
and remind people why these types of that fish pit in the 1980s and ’90s.
ceremonies are still possible today. Barnaby and Albert Combs thanked
Barnaby Canales of the Chehalis Tribe members of the Fisheries Committee
and a longtime member of the Fisheries for their hard work making the special
Committee explained the role that Ross occasion possible. They also thanked
Davis and Richard Bellon both had in everyone in attendance for taking time to
bringing back the traditional gathering join together.

Fisheries Committee members
Barnaby Canales and Albert
Combs thanked everyone who
made the day possible.