Centuries-Old Indigenous Tradition Sparks Social Media Frenzy

As of 2025-10-07T18:29:31+00:00, a centuries-old Indigenous tradition of smoking salmon has recently sparked a social media frenzy. Over the past few months, influencers have been posting videos of themselves tasting and handling smoked salmon in a manner that some have found disturbing. The thick, shiny slabs of vermilion flesh, often sent to them by the Idaho-based Solovey Kitchen, have been pulled and tugged at in ways that evoke horror, rather than the reverence the tradition deserves.

However, the salmon itself is not the issue. The practice of cold-smoking salmon has been an integral part of Indigenous culture, particularly in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest, for thousands of years. Freshly caught fish is carefully sliced, brined, and then hung in a cold smokehouse for days, infusing the meat with the scent of slowly smoldering alder wood. This process not only preserves the salmon but also holds deep cultural significance for the communities that continue to uphold it.

As the social media trend has gained traction, some have expressed concern that the context and history of this tradition are being overlooked. Indigenous leaders like Kate Nelson of the Tlingit tribe and Valerie Segrest of the Muckleshoot tribe have emphasized the importance of understanding where this practice comes from and the role it plays in their communities' food security and cultural identity.