Fish-weir across Trinity River – Hupa

Description

Each summer a substantial structure of this kind is thrown across the river, the southern and the northern divisions of the tribe alternating. The weir remains in place until the spring freshets carry it away. A fisherman stands on each of several platforms erected below an equal number of openings in the weir, and lowers and draws his dip-net at random. As the construction of a weir is a communal undertaking, the catch is divided each evening according to the requirements of the various families.