I am Brian Paul Saluskin, born and raised in Toppenish Washington on the Yakama Reservation. My Ceremony Given Indian name is Sawyalilx. It’s my Atwi Grandmother Hoptenix Sawyalilx Saluskin namesake of the Klickitat people. I’m an enrolled member of the Yakama Nation. My Grandfather Atwi Alexander Saluskin and Atwi father Rudolph V. Saluskin as myself are part of the history of the Yakama Nation as Tribal Fishermen. I belong to the Yakama, Wenatshapam and Klickitat of the 14 Bands that make up the Yakama Confederation. I fished with my father growing up in the Yakima Valley, on the Yakama and Columbia Rivers. This was my family’s livelihood, spiritually and financially.
Since I was raised on our waters, in our homes, amongst our people it was an easy choice to pursue a career in fisheries. I worked for the Yakama Nation Fisheries as a Fish Tech I, II & III from 1994 until deciding to attend college to become a Fish Biologist. I graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Fish & Wildlife Science in 2006. I then took an entry level position with the Yakama Nation and later accepted the position I currently hold as Fish Passage Biologist and Sockeye Reintroduction Project Manager. I wanted to help maintain, enrich and help flourish this resource that sustained myself, family and people. My work is to do my part to give back to the resource for the generation to come.
