Living copper salmon (Tate’s account)

Overview

The copper episodes in Tsauda and Halus connect animate metal with a particular river and family history. Earlier, Tsauda’s sling dislodges a mountain copper that divides towards Alaska and the headwaters. A parenthetical account describes salmon entering upper waters and becoming copper. Later Moon, Tsauda’s younger daughter, sends her husband in search of the valuable material her father described.

At the upper river, the husband catches what appears to be a salmon. When it lands on the stony bank it makes a metallic sound, and he discovers that it has become copper. He sleeps with it beneath his head and is found dead next morning. His companions attribute the death to the living copper, alter the metal with fire, and bring his body home. Their conclusion belongs to the narrative; the story does not establish an actual cause of death or a safe metallurgical method.

Tsauda returns to Moon and revives her husband. He restricts access and knowledge to the couple and their descendants, explaining that careless handling and unauthorised disclosure bring danger or loss of prosperity. With his guidance they return successfully, and the husband becomes renowned for copper work. The final emphasis is inherited knowledge and responsibility as well as wealth. The metal’s living state is therefore an active source of risk within the tale, not merely a poetic label for any copper ornament.

Origins & earliest records

Franz Boas, Tsimshian Mythology, based on texts recorded by Henry W. Tate, published in 1916 in the Bureau of American Ethnology’s thirty-first report for 1909–1910. Boas translated Tate’s free interlinear English renderings of his Tsimshian texts. The preface notes Tate’s editorial choices and some influence from published collections; the 1916 volume omits the original-language text.

Records & interpretation

Story 51, Tsauda and Halus, complete pp. 297–306; preface pp. 31–32.

Selected bibliography

Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.

1. 01

   Tsimshian Mythology

   Henry W. Tate, recorder; Franz Boas, translator and editor · 1916

   Story 51, Tsauda and Halus, complete pp. 297–306; preface pp. 31–32.

Family & connections

A source-supported family tree or inspiration record has not yet been compiled for this profile. Related reading below indicates a connection in subject matter, not a proven lineage or creative influence.

References

Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.

1. Primary textBoas/Tate 1916: Tsauda and HalusResearch access: 2026-10-05

Image credits

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