• Artist:
• Margaret August

• Edition Size:
• 140 signed and numbered, 14 artist's proofs, 2 printer's proofs

• Paper Size:
• 25 x 76 cm, 10 x 30 inches

• Publication Year:
• 2023

Salmon People is a limited edition screen print by Margaret August. The design shows a Coast Salish house post with the face of the moon at the top. The lower part of the design pays tribute to the artist's homeland, where salmon migrate in unison, ensuring prosperity and abundance.

House posts were often intricately carved to reflect the values and standing of the home. Margaret adds, "Coast Salish traditions have honoured wooden carved house post figures. In pre-contact times, house posts represented mythical creatures associated with family history including magical privileges of the family, notable ancestors or events that displayed ancestors' spirit powers. They were placed in the large winter houses and sometimes outside declaiming the long history, wealth and high status of the family."

Margaret August’s contemporary version of Salmon People depicts an abstract, supernatural moon face that embodies feminine energies. The moon face unveils a person’s inner wisdom and intuition. The moon is often associated with women, when they are on their “moon time”, where their power is at its strongest. It is a time to cleanse herself mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually.

For thousands of years, the salmon has been the primary food source for the First Nations of the Northwest coast. The salmon's cycle of life and sacrifice are honoured and celebrated by returning the bones to the water in special ceremonies. This allows the salmon people's spirits to return home and be reborn in human form. The annual return of the salmon thus assures the renewal and continuation of all life.

Please read The Salmon Symbol - Native Art Symbols And Meanings.

This limited edition silk screen print titled "Salmon People" by Margaret August was hand produced by the screen printing process. It is the only limited edition printing of this design. The artist has inspected and signed each copy in the edition. The printer has destroyed all trial copies and obliterated the printing stencils.

Published by Cedar Hill Long House Native Art Prints.