The legend of the Fog Woman is a story that the native Tlingit used to explain the bounty of salmon during certain months and the disappearance of salmon in other months.
Ketchikan, Alaska – The salmon are running! They are swarming in the streams and rivers–even Ketchikan Creek which flows right through the center of town. At this time of abundance, bears and birds descend on the waterways to gorge on salmon (which we witnessed! On our first full day in Alaska! It was amazing!)
Totem poles have various purposes in native culture. But one important one is to depict stories that are integral to the culture, such as The Legend of the Fog Woman (sometimes called Raven and Fog Woman). Here, our guide Lisa Edenshaw of Tlingit Tours recounts the Legend of the Fog Woman, as also depicted on a totem pole at Potlatch Park.
As with any oral history, there are many different version of this story. Read a slightly different version here.
In any case, we are thrilled that the salmon are bountiful and the Fog Woman is making herself scarce (for the time being).
