Salmon Woman
A long, long time ago, Raven & his people were running out of food & had a hard time finding anything to eat. The people were starving & Raven decided to do something about it, he walked to the river bank & pushed out his canoe he paddled down the Nooksack River,  passed Fish Point & went out on to the Salish Sea, he passed Portage Island & went out into the ocean waters, He paddled & paddled, All he wanted was to find a new source of food for his people, He kept paddling & paddling soon the fog rolled in, the fog was getting thicker & soon he could not see in front of him, So Raven stopped paddling, he was convinced he would die. He began to sing his death song.
Salmon woman heard him singing. She had pity on him. Soon Raven heard a stir in the water nearby. He paddled to the noise, as he got closer he could make out a woman in the water. 
Thinking that she was like him that she was looking for food, he pulled her out of the water on to this canoe.  Salmon woman was  so moved that he had compassion upon her that she wanted to help Raven, she took off her hat & dipped it into the water, She showed Raven her hat full of Chinook salmon,  she dipped it again & pulled out Sockeye salmon, then again Coho, She kept dipping her hat & pulled up Chum & lastly Steelhead. 
Salmon Woman explained to Raven, “These are my children and they have given up their lives so that your people may live”. Raven was so moved that he took Salmon woman as his wife.
Salmon woman told Raven, “Start paddling!”, Raven said ”But, I’m lost”, She stood up on the canoe & began to sing her song, as she sang the fog lifted.  Salmon woman said “Start paddling!”
Raven  recognized the landmarks, he saw Mount Baker  in the distance, he knew where he was & began paddling, he paddled pass Portage Island & up the Nooksack River & pass Fish Point. Salmon Woman’s children the salmon were following behind the canoe. Some of them playfully jumping out of the water, they pass Fish Point & Up the river.  Raven & Salmon Woman landed on the banks & were greeted by the waiting people, they were amazed by the strange woman & her children. 
Once on shore, Raven told the people that this is Salmon Woman & I have taken her to be my wife & her children the salmon have given up their lives to feed them.  The people were so grateful, Salmon woman told the people that they would not go hungry again as long as they show respect to her & her children.  The people were happy.  One day, the children of the village began to complain. “I’m tired of salmon. That’s all we ever eat around here… barbecued salmon, boiled salmon, smoked salmon & sun dried Salmon!, is there anything else we can eat besides salmon?”.  Salmon Woman heard the  children complain & was hurt, she told the people that she was leaving and taking her children with her.  Raven was out hunting & when he returned, he found out that his wife was gone, the people told him what had happened, he was angry & told the people that he was going to go & look for her & bring her home. He scolded the people & the children to appreciate the gift that Salmon Woman & her children sacrifice for them.  Raven pushed the canoe out on the river & went to look for his wife, he came  upon her, she said she would come back on the condition that her children will return at different times of the year & not stay long.  The people must always show respect, this is why there are different salmon runs throughout the months of the year & the Lummi people  show their respect with a First Salmon Ceremony in the spring.
Zelica Bronze - 1994  Demention:  17-1/2" high, 3-1/2" x 7" Base