A free screening of “Covenant of the Salmon People,” a feature-length documentary portrait of the Nez Perce Tribe’s efforts to protect and restore salmon populations from the harms of dams and climate change, will be presented at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 3, at Vashon Theatre.

The screening is a presentation of the Backbone Campaign, along with the Vashon Heritage Museum and the Meaningful Movies Project.

The Nez Perce is the oldest documented civilization in North America, with archaeological sites along Idaho’s Salmon River dating back 16,500 years. The cornerstone of their creation story is an agreement with salmon to protect its continued existence.

The film, made in collaboration with the Nez Perce Tribe, explores how their relationship with salmon has shaped the tribe’s culture, history and spirituality, and their commitment to honoring their ancient agreement.

“I have to say, when is enough, enough? We have turned as many dials for salmon recovery as we are capable of doing,” said Nez Perce Tribal Chairman, Shannon Wheeler. “Our back is against the wall. We need to turn some of the larger dials, and some of the larger dials include dam breaching. Now, more than ever our voice needs to be amplified for salmon and for the rest of the environment. We will never forget our covenant with the salmon.”

Backbone Campaign, with its headquarters on Vashon, has been working on the issue of restoring the Lower Snake River for five years — since Tahlequah, the mother orca, carried her deceased baby over 1,000 miles. Her action showed the world the malnourishment realities faced by the Southern Resident orca, largely due to a lack of prey. The Southern Residents’ primary food source has historically been the chinook runs from the Snake River.

Since Tahlequah’s action, in solidarity with Northwest Tribes who have unanimously called for dam breaching on the Lower Snake, Backbone has orchestrated dozens of Human Orca Murals, freeway banner actions, flotillas, light projections, and more, to bring awareness to the issue.

Currently, Backbone Campaign’s Solutionary Rail project is focused on building a transportation plan that is an alternative for farmers who barge their wheat down the Lower Snake River. Solutionary Rail’s focus addresses the vulnerabilities and threats to the current Snake River barging system, the urgency of a Plan B, and how to take care of Southeast Washington communities, tribes, salmon, and farmers in the process.

The mission of the Vashon Heritage Museum is to help facilitate the telling of Vashon Stories. The museum is honored to join the Backbone Campaign to help tell this important story of the “Covenant of The Salmon People”.

A conversation and/or speakers will follow the film screening, to update attendees on what they can do to take action, in order to restore wild salmon and protect resident orca.

Donations to the Backbone Campaign will be accepted at the door.

The screening is made possible thanks to generous sponsorship from Vashon Theatre and Island GreenTech.