my 100th post – Sockeye Sunday at Adams River

It’s been over a year we went to Adams River for the big salmon run.  Alex appeared at the Cohen Commission and Don Staniford is now fighting a SLAPP suit (defamation). So if you enjoy the salmon songs – please make a donation to help him with his legal costs. Thank you.

http://www.gofundme.com/donstaniford

Adams River salmon Song – Dedicated to Dr. Alexandra Morton

Are you going up the Fraser where the Sockeye salmon run?
Are you going to see creation where the salmon’s life begun?
You can travel on the highway you can watch the river below

Sockeye salmon in the water and heat
where the bear and fisher and the martin eat
Sockeye salmon all coming to meet
the Adams river flow

Silver and gold – red and green
the salmon run ’till the rivers bleed
under the water rushing out to sea
smash down river rolling over me

I swam the wide Pacific sea to the land of the midnight sun
I left behind the island gyre where death has made it’s run
In a plastic hell in a garbage swell like a body without a soul

to the blue green water of the forest shore
where the sea gulls fly and eagles soar
like the sockeye salmon that came before
a million years ago

Silver and gold – red and green
the salmon run ’till the rivers bleed
under the water rushing out to sea
smash down river rolling over me

I’m up the mighty Fraser now where the muddy waters flow
I’m going home where I was born – a million miles ago
I’m past the fish boat cannery, the seal lion and the whale

to the sandy silt in a red of milt
the deep dark water in the autumn wilt
and lay me down in the land I built
a million years ago

Silver and gold – red and green
the salmon run ’till the rivers bleed
under the water rushing out to sea
smash down river rolling over me

Are you going to Adams River where the sockeye salmon spawn?
Are you going to see creation there before the salmon’s gone?
You can travel on the highway, you can walk to the river shore

and there in the water in a gravel bed
a million salmon are almost dead
to nourish this land with heart and bone
flesh for the people who welcome home

Silver and gold – red and green
the salmon run ’till the rivers bleed
under the water rushing out to sea
smash down river rolling over me

Sockeye salmon I’m going to meet on the Adams River shore.

The words and music came to me as I drove over the BC mountains to tune and repair pianos. I dedicated the song to Alexandra Morton and sent her an e-mail saying that I hoped to win some prize money with which I would buy one of her prints however, that was not to be.

You can travel on the highway

I traveled on the Highway… and walked bumper to bumper to the Adams River Festival.

Don Staniford and Alexandra Morton

The stage was set for music and speakers. I recognized Alexandra Morton who stood at the edge of the crowd. I walked over, smiled and said “Hi – I’m Priscilla” she smiled and said “Hello.” She didn’t mention the print and neither did I. That was Alexandra Morton – quiet, reserved, graceful.

Festival Audience

There were lots of speeches and lots of applause at the festival.

Cranbrook Singers

Annie Hepner and the Cranbrook

singers performed their winning song.

2nd place winners

Rock ‘n Roll – Robots on Horseback – second place winners

Native Dancing

There was a native dancer in traditional costume. It was loud and festive.

Crowd talks with Native Dancer

At the river

After that, Gordon and I went off chatting with people, including the blogger from Scotch Creek and friends from Lumby.

We exchanged greetings with many of the 8,000 visitors who came with dogs and cameras and children to witness that incredible Sockeye Sunday.

there in the water in a gravel bed...

I saw Alexandra Morton speaking to a TV journalist and later we passed each other on the trail. I admire her very much and believe she will bring many people together in a bid to save our wild salmon.   We drove home singing the Lumby salmon song: Are you going out to the Wilsey Dam where the sockeye salmon spawn…

silver and gold - red and green...

sockeye salmon in the water and heat...

I hope Alexandra speaks about her vision next week when she comes to walk our Lumby Salmon Trails. If you want to join her – come on down to the Kiosk behind the Chamber of Commerce at noon on Wednesday October 13 – I’ll be there and I hope you will too.

sockeye salmon all coming to meet…

the Adams River flow...

All photos were taken by Gordon Judd – Sockeye Sunday 2010

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