P'ésk'a
and the First Salmon Ceremony

Groundwood Books (2015)

It’s the day of the first salmon ceremony, and P'ésk'a is excited to celebrate. His community, the Sts’ailes people, give thanks to the river and the salmon it brings by commemorating the first salmon of the season. Framed as an exploration of what life was like for the Sts’ailes people one thousand years ago, P'ésk'a and the First Salmon Ceremony describes the customs of the Sts’ailes people, an indigenous group who have lived on the Harrison River in British Columbia for the last 10,000 years. Includes an introductory letter from Chief William Charlie, an illustrated afterword and a glossary.

“An afterword furnishes more about this ancient band's way of life, and a short glossary provides an opportunity to sample its language. . . . A good initial introduction to a lesser-known First Nations people.”
―Kirkus Reviews

“The combination of lively pictures and informative text makes this a winner for primary collections in school and public libraries. Recommended.”
―CM Magazine

“Ritchie successfully and engagingly balances storytelling with accurate history in this depiction of indigenous life in Canada 1,000 years ago.”
―Booklist

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