Thitikorn Chansasitorn
tchansasitorn@zagmail.gonzaga.edu
"Supernatural Salmon"
“Supernatural Salmon - Chíin Sgáanuwaay III” by April White, Northwest Coast Art (The Spirits of the West Coast Art Gallery)
The Bear Mother myth is a legend told thousands of times by many people of the Northwest Coast, most notably the Haida, Nisha'a, Gitxsan and Coast Tsimshian. The story starts with a Haida woman who disrespected the bears when she was berry-picking with her friends. Subsequently, she was kidnapped and forced to marry the son of a bear chief. She eventually gives birth to twin bear cubs, who are now a hybrid of human and bear. Later when her brothers came looking for her, she rolled down a snowball so big that it caught their attention. The Bear husband knew right away that his demise was near, so he taught his Bear Wife and sons his ritual songs to grant good fortune and also his knowledge of hunting and gathering.
All of those characters (Bear husband; middle / Bear wife; front / Bear sons; back) here are encompassed by the silhouette of the Taawaan, Chinook Salmon, in this art-print, recognizing the interconnectedness between the Peoples and all things. The Haida and Bear are unified by the sharing of foods: berries and salmon. The legend and painting teaches us the importance of mutual respect and harmony among all.