Picture Story

Fish Hanging Up to Dry is a Year Long Feeling of Contentment Long Waited

Alaska Natives who have lived on or near the Yukon River have been surviving on salmon for centuries. From catching the fish to putting on the table is a lot of work. Subsistence fishing is never a one-man job, it is always been a family effort. Many families including mine work very hard to put food on the table.

Before the king salmon begin running in the river, the poles on which the fish hang to dry must be cleaned and ready. The king salmon usually begin running in mid-June when the trees have turned green and are full of leaves. One day some of my family members drift on the Yukon catching about 30 king salmon. The king ranges from 30 to 40 inches in length, and weighs from 5 to 40 pounds. One day some of my family members drift the Yukon and catch about 30 king salmon. Then, more family members join in to clean the fish. Finally, the king salmon is strategically cut and hung on the poles.

One by one the kings are cut. None of the fish is wasted except for the intestines. The heads cut in half and hung together by a string so that they dry faster. The skeleton bone of fish is cut out and the meat of the fish is cut at an angle and hung over the pole. The fish then dry in the wind of the warm summer air. Grateful after a hard long hard day of work, there is obliviously nothing more content than reverently with anticipation looking up at your fish knowing that there will be some delicious fish for the long winter coming, a job well done.