First Fish, First People brings together writers from two continents and four countries whose traditional cultures are based on Pacific wild salmon: Ainu from Japan; Ulchi and Nyvkh from Siberia; Okanagan and Coast Salish from Canada; and Makah, Warm Springs, and Spokane from the United States remember the blessedness and mourn the loss of the wild salmon while alerting us to current environmental dangers and conditions. The text is enhanced by traditional designs from each nation and photographs, both contemporary and historical, as well as personal family pictures from the writers. Together, words and images offer a prayer that our precious remaining wild salmon will increase and flourish.