What is the Tlingit tribe's connection to smoked salmon?

The Tlingit tribe in Alaska has a long-standing tradition of cold-smoking salmon, which they have continued to practice even after the U.S. Forest Service destroyed their communal smokehouses in the mid-20th century. Tlingit members like Heather Douville now have personal smokehouses at their homes to preserve this cultural practice.

How does the Muckleshoot tribe view the importance of salmon?

The Muckleshoot tribe, also known as the "salmon nation," has archaeological evidence of fisheries dating back 12,000 years in their ancestral homeland. Even though they no longer need to store salmon for winter, they still cold-smoke the fish and pass on this knowledge to younger generations.

What is the significance of smoked salmon in Indigenous communities?

Smoked salmon is not just considered a food, but a sacred being in many Indigenous cultures. Preserving and sharing this traditional practice is crucial for food security, cultural identity, and community interdependence, especially in more isolated regions.

Home / Lifestyle / Centuries-Old Indigenous Tradition Sparks Social Media Frenzy

Centuries-Old Indigenous Tradition Sparks Social Media Frenzy

7 Oct

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Summary

Smoked salmon has been part of Indigenous tradition for centuries
Influencers' viral videos of handling salmon sparked controversy
Indigenous communities continue to uphold the practice of cold-smoking salmon

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.

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