Traditional salmon filleting, preparation and smoking became a meaningful experience for Eliza Archie Memorial School (EAMS) students Oct. 6 thanks to Canim Lake Band elders.
Canim Lake Elder’s Activity Centre program co-ordinator Shirley Fraser says there were a whopping 100 participants in total, including 25 elders, two dozen elementary students, 21 daycare children and numerous teachers, life skills (adult) students, community members and staff.
“We sure had a good time. It was fun and worthwhile.”
The Cultural Day event began with a turkey feast prepared at EAMS by elder’s centre cook Ashley Daniels, bus driver Ken Mills, and Fraser, with assistance from the elders and EAMS principal Barb MacLeod.
In the traditional fashion, the meal was first served to the elders by the children, she notes.
After the feast, the whole group moved to the elder’s centre for the salmon preparation and smoking process.
The children watched the many knowledgeable elders skilfully fillet each fish and cut them into strips, Fraser says.
“There were so many elders that got involved, and each one has their own technique of filleting.”
Then the young students participated in the traditional salmon salting and smoking, including two different methods.
Some fillets were cooked and smoked by placing them between wire racks propped beside a smoky bonfire, she explains, while other strips were slowly smoked hanging on layers of wooden rods placed in a traditional smokehouse.
“The kids just loved it. They were right in there, handing the fish from the coolers to the elders … and they were in the smokehouse helping the elders put the fish on the rods.”
The elders greatly enjoyed the event too, Fraser says, adding it’s important to keep the traditions going and for the children to witness it.
The day was chilly, so hot tea was brought outside to the elders, some of whom Fraser says were 70 years old and filleting salmon with amazing skills passed down from grandparents of grandparents, or even earlier generations.
The end result of this Cultural Day was the passing on of some significant historical knowledge from the elders; the learning of something new for many of the youngsters, staff and community members; a fun and happy day for all; and some delicious smoked salmon.
Fraser thanks the elders and other participants, in particular, Life Skills worker Tom Ned and elder Arnold Sellars for getting the birch wood and preparing the smokehouse, and Wilf Archie, who placed the fillets in the racks and involved the children in that activity.
When the fish in the smokehouse was ready to eat a week later, Fraser says she and Mills distributed portions for each child involved to bring home.
“Of course, we were sampling it as we were bagging it and it tastes really good. Ohhhh man, it’s just to kill for.”
