Summary

This section begins with Alexie discussing the significant side effects that resulted from the construction of the Grand Coulee Damn. The construction for the dam began in July 1933 and as one of the largest concrete structures in the world, it submerged ancient villages and falls and was responsible for killing all of the wild salmon in the upper Columbia and Spokane rivers. Historically, endless numbers of wild salmon once resided in the Spokane and upper Columbia rivers prior to the erection of the Grand Coulee Damn. Spokane Indians and all other Salish tribes interpreted the abundance of salmon as a spiritual gift and worshipped them as a vital component of their theology. Alexie emphasizes how salmon had been revered to such a high esteem when he writes, “the Grand Coulee Dam murdered my tribe’s history. Murdered my tribe’s relationship with its...