Acwsalcta Salmon Feast


Every year, the Spring salmon are the first salmon of the year to return to the Bella Coola River. Historically, for the Nuxalk people, this was a time of great celebration and ceremony - fresh fish after a long winter of eating dried fish - thank you to the Creator! These days, the first signs that the Spring are back is seeing boats in the backs of people's trucks as they head up the road for the drift and catch back down the river, and the smell of smoke in the air as everyone gets their fish and starts smoking it in their smoke houses. The ceremony continuues to be celebrated to this day, and here at Acwsalcta, it is a whole day event for the school and community. Of course, it all started about 2 weeks before as the inimitable Mary got several salmon which had to be cut, then smoked for the feast. The day of the feast, food preparations were going full tilt for the feast for 500 - potatoes and macaroni were cooked and mixed in big Tupperware bins, carrots were grated and made into huge bowls of salad, and more fish were cut, barbecued and baked. Staff members brought in the 2 dozen cupcakes they had baked the night before for the dessert. Kids put cutlery and napkins into baggies, buttered buns, tables were set, and all was in readiness. Of course, the kids were already a bit squirrelly, what with the change in routine, but I managed to keep them calm until recess. Then we all got on the bus and went down to the river for the ceremony. There were Elders and Chiefs, kids from the public school, our kids, teachers, parents, onlookers, and dogs (of course!).
and by this time, yes, it was time to get the little dears back onto that bus and back to the school for lunch! The post-recess sugar slump was hitting big time!! Back at the school, the kids' food was all set out for them in our class - at least I can keep marginal control on home turf. Everyone else proceeded to the gym for the feasting. After the feasting was the dancing, which took place out in the parking lot, with the murals as a spectacular backdrop. There were kids' dances,the Thunder mask dance. It was quite a day - fortunately, we had a Pro-D day the next day (our half-day Friday) so that we could recover from the stress!

Medby Rock

Bella Coola is a stunningly beautiful valley, bordered on both sides by mountains. There are several hikes up these mountains, hikes not for the flabby of butt or thigh, as the vertical ascent is usually rapid in elevation gain. For the truly adventurous, and perhaps with those with less than well-muscled legs, there is heli-hiking which takes you much higher up the peaks than hiking does. A few weeks ago, I hiked up to Medby Rock. The hike is steep, about 2000 m. in elevation gain in a very short time. The trees are small, the moss is thick, and the silence of the forest is broken only by the panting sounds of those who hike up. There were some lovely lillies in bloom along the trail, though I only say a few in one spot. They look very much like Lady Slippers, but are much smaller. It's a strenuous hike, and for someone moderately fit, takes about 45 minutes to get to the viewpoint, with lots of sweating - a great cardio workout. As you can see from the photo, the view from the top is stunning. You can look way up and down the Valley - it looks so far down as to seem unreal. What seemed perhaps a little TOO real, were the swarms of mosquitos that decided to hang out with us at the top - so while admiring the view, the pesky buzzers descended onto our sweaty flesh, hungry, or should I say thirsty, for fresh blood. I'm not quite sure what else they were eating up there, as hikers are few, and it would seem somewhat of a challenge to get through to bear flesh (if indeed there were any bears up there, rather than down at the river checking out the newly arrived spring salmon!).