Table of Contents
How did the Chinook tribe hunt for food?
The Chinook Indians were fishing people. Their staple food was salmon. Chinook men also caught many other kinds of fish and sea mammals from their canoes and hunted deer, birds, and small game on land. Chinook women gathered clams and shellfish, seaweed, berries, and roots.
What resources did the Chinook use?
Cedar was a favorite material, but nettle, rushes, willow bark, and other fibers were also used. Almost any activity you can think of utilized some sort of cordage. In addition to salmon and other fish, elk and deer were among the most important food resources used by the Chinook.
Are Chinook and king salmon the same?
Biology. Chinook salmon are anadromous—they hatch in freshwater streams and rivers then migrate out to the saltwater environment of the ocean to feed and grow. Chinook salmon are the largest of the Pacific salmon, hence the name “king salmon.” Older Chinook primarily feed on other fish.
Why are chinook salmon important to the Pacific Northwest?
The Chinook salmon is an important keystone species of the Pacific Northwest. It is a vital food source for a diversity of wildlife, including orcas, bears, seals, and large birds of prey. Chinook salmon are also prized by people who harvest salmon both commercially and for sport.
Who are the Predators of Chinook salmon in the Salish Sea?
Fewer Chinook means predators that eat salmon have a greater impact on the overall population of Chinook. California sea lions (Zalophus californianus), Pacific harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) and killer whales (Orcinus orca) are known to prey on Chinook in the Salish Sea.
What kind of markings do Chinook salmon have?
The fish’s tail, back, and upper fin have irregular black spots, and black markings also are present around the gums. Male Chinook salmon have a distinctive hooked nose at the top of the mouth and a ridged back. During the mating season, both male and female salmon develop a reddish tint around their back fins and tail.
How did the Chinook people boil their Wapato?
To boil their wapato, Chinook and Nez Perce people put the roots in a wooden box or a basket that would hold water, and they put water in too. Then they heated rocks in the fire and dropped them into the water to heat up the water and cook the roots.