About the Toolkit & Artist

Forestry Value Chains Told Through the Story of Salmon Community, and Survival 

For First Nations, salmon are more than food. They are survival, knowledge, economy, and responsibility. The way salmon is harvested, used, shared, and protected offers a powerful lesson for how forests and forest products should be managed today.

Salmon hold deep meaning for many Nations across BC. They are central to the health of the land and waters, which is why they are so highly respected. Salmon often represent renewal, abundance, and the cycle of life, and are closely connected to our ancestors and the Creator.

The cedar in this design connects the story back to the land. Salmon help sustain cedar forests, and cedar itself has always been sacred to coastal Indigenous peoples. It has long been used for clothing, medicine, longhouses, carvings, totem poles, and regalia, making it one of the most important gifts of the land.

About the Artist:
 Bayja Morgan-Banke 

Bayja Morgan-Banke, an artist Toquaht, Nuu-chah-nulth Nation, and Bonaperte Nations, grew up in Tofino in a family where creativity was a way of life. Her grandmother painted and sang, while her father and grandfather were skilled carvers.

With an educational background in film and animation, Bayja now works as an illustrator at Indigenous Marketing Solutions. She’s passionate about preserving Indigenous languages and tells stories through her art, blending traditional techniques with animated styles. Each piece she creates honours her cultural heritage and connects the past with the present.

Bayja’s art is both heartfelt and hopeful, celebrating Indigenous traditions while imagining a future where these stories continue to thrive.

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