by Jess Carey
Food. Medicine. Cyclic beings whose strength is unmatched. Resilient and ancient, they nourish and inspire us. They are the salmon, and they could be the savior of our university’s identity. Salmon represent strength, renewal and a reciprocal relationship with the land — a stark contrast to the lumberjack’s vibe of colonization and destruction.
With their hooked jaws, jagged teeth and dense muscular bodies, salmon are perhaps the strongest and most resilient of fish. The Chinook and Coho are the largest species in both literal size and population in Californian waters. The fish spend one to seven years in ocean waters before migrating back to where they came from to spawn at the end of their lives – ensuring the cycle continues. Guided by a mysterious innate sense of direction, some swim hundreds of miles back home. Defying gravity and currents, they fight their way up mountains.
Salmon are not only historically and culturally significant to the North Coast, they also are the darlings of recent conversations around river restoration. Since the undamming of the Klamath River, salmon are returning to areas that they have not seen in almost one hundred years. Conversations around salmon are a hot topic and are making national news as their threatened populations enjoy small wins due to widespread conservation efforts.
The problem of the lumberjack image has been discussed in our paper several times. We have an opportunity to step away from celebrating the dark legacy of the timber rush and its accompanying violent heritage. The hypocrisy of the lumberjack as our mascot is evident as the university administration continues to insist on their commitment to fostering an environment of whatever sounds the most politically correct without actually being accountable.
On Cal Poly Humboldt’s website, the first part of the Purpose and Vision for the institution reads; “We will be the premier center for the interdisciplinary study of the environment, climate crisis and resilience to climate change, and the conservation of ecological systems and natural resources.” Does a lumberjack fit these values? Many logging companies today, even locally, are still the subject of controversy. Practices like clear-cutting and unsustainable harvesting continue to proliferate.
No other university has a salmon mascot — several have lumberjacks. Humboldt Salmon has a nice ring to it, I think. Sports teams could be branded as fighting salmon. We could say that our opponents were smoked! Salmon rolls off the tongue much better than lumberjack. Try saying it yourself. This novel move would set our community apart, cementing our values of environmental responsibility and community into our identity. If we can change our name, we can change our mascot.
Jess Carey is a botanist, musician, and friend. They enjoy pondering the sky, running around, and making a scene. They are a senior studying ecology with a journalism minor. Reach them by email at jc876@humboldt.edu with comments or story ideas.