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Beginning in mid-March in Sitka, there is no escaping the excitement surrounding the commercial sac roe herring fishery. Big seiners from around Southeast raft up in the harbors, waiting for the large masses of herring to school up near shore.

 

But the annual arrival of the herring marks the opening of another important — and just as exciting — season: subsistence. Tuesday morning (3-25-14), Native leaders and Tribal elders gathered to pour water on the Herring Rock in downtown Sitka, to honor the herring, and the renewal that their return symbolizes.

 

Prayers, in Tlingit

 

The Herring Rock rests now in front of the Sheetka Kwan Nakahidi, but it used to be down in the Sitka Channel. By long tradition, herring were said to begin their spawn in this location.

 

Thank you for what we are about to celebrate, The Herring Rock. Given to us by you, and what it signifies: The beginning of our harvest season.

 

The small crowd gathered to bless the rock acknowledged the efforts of Duck Didrickson, who died over the winter, to relocate the rock to a place of honor. But the rest of the brief ceremony was dedicated to reaffirming the history of Herring Rock, and how it came to be.

 

We had two herring ladies, playing down by the rock. And they put their hair in the water. And the herring came and spawned on their hair. That’s how they became the Herring Rock Ladies.

 

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