Salmon held immense importance as a staple food source for the Tlingit people of Southeastern Alaska. The region's abundant salmon populations, coupled with the ease of preservation, enabled dense native settlements to thrive in an otherwise challenging and rugged environment. Legend has it that the salmon-people resided in a magnificent underwater city beneath the sea, underscoring the deep spiritual connection and reverence the Tlingit held for this vital resource. The salmon's significance extended beyond sustenance, playing a central role in Tlingit culture, traditions, and oral histories, serving as a symbol of abundance, resilience, and interconnectedness with the natural world.