Scha'nexw Elhtal'nexw Salmon People: Preserving a Way of Life is an hour-long documentary inspired by the late Chexanexwh Larry Kinley, a Lummi fisherman and tribal leader who promoted sovereignty.
The film follows two Lummi families fishing for sockeye. As they navigate climate change and a depleting fishery, Larry asks: “Who Are We Without Salmon?”. Celebrating the resilience and adaptive natures of salmon and the people, the film is a spiritual reflection on a lifeway centered on respect and gratitude for salmon.
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President of SacredSea.org
Tah-Mahs | Ellie Kinley
“Protecting salmon is a full-time job”
“I’ve been a fisher all my life and at different points, I’ve had to step off the back deck of the boat to help bring awareness to our depleted fishery. Protecting salmon has become a full time job to help ensure my grandchildren and great grandchildren will know our way of life.”
Chexanexhw | Larry Kinley
“Who Are We Without Salmon?”
Former Chairman of Lummi Nation, Chexanexhw Larry Kinley carried this name well. He was a successful fisherman and his leadership helped Lummi Nation and several California Tribes become successful sovereign nations.
Tla'kalin Ces'xen | Steve Solomon
“Grandpa Felix Showed us how to listen”
In the summer of 2010, Lummi Bay was filled with the smell of fish as millions of sockeye salmon swam through, their backs out of the water. The Nation was sparked to action, readying boats and nets to meet their greatest ancestor, sockeye.
"We're preserving a way of life for future generations and fishing is vital to that."
- Chexanexwh | Larry Kinley
Former Chairman of Lummi Nation
Herman Jr. Lawrence | Steve’s Attachment
Scha'nexw Elhtal'nexw
Salmon People: Preserving a Way of Life
November 2024 During Native American Heritage Month
