**[Intro – Native Flute with Flowing River Sounds]** (Gentle acoustic guitar enters like ripples on water) (Elder grandmother voice speaking softly) The river remembers... the salmon carry stories... The grandmothers keep the pulse... flowing through time... **[Verse 1 – The River's Memory]** The old river flows like a grandmother's song Carrying stories from ancient times long Silver salmon swimming against the current strong Following the rhythm where they belong The grandmothers sit by the riverbank at dawn Watching the cycles since time was born They feel the pulse in the water's steady flow The ancient wisdom that the waters know **[Chorus – The Salmon Heartbeat]** We are the Salmon People, heart of the river Following the pulse that makes life quiver Grandmother wisdom in the silver tide Where salmon journey and life presides The river keeps beating... the salmon keep swimming The grandmothers keep singing... the heart keeps winning **[Verse 2 – The Grandmother Teachings]** The grandmothers' hands know the river's mood They've felt the seasons in every changing flood They honor the first salmon with gratitude deep And pray for the journeys the salmon keep Their wrinkled faces like river stone smooth Hold stories of living in seasonal groove "We take only what we need," they softly say "And give back to the river at the end of day" **[Chorus – The Salmon Heartbeat]** We are the Salmon People, heart of the river Following the pulse that makes life quiver Grandmother wisdom in the silver tide Where salmon journey and life presides The river keeps beating... the salmon keep swimming The grandmothers keep singing... the heart keeps winning **[Verse 3 – The Cycle of Renewal]** The salmon give their lives so others may live The river receives what the grandmothers give It's a sacred circle, a dance of give and take For every promise there's a vow to make The children learn watching their grandmothers care For river, for salmon, for the clean air They learn that all life is connected and one Under the same sky, under the same sun **[Bridge – The River's Lullaby]** [Music becomes more reflective, native flute melody soars] (Gentle chanting in background, grandmother voices) The river sings lullabies old and deep Rocking the salmon while the grandmothers sleep Dreaming of futures where the waters run clear Where salmon return year after year The pulse keeps flowing through generation's hands From grandmother to child across the lands The Salmon People remember who they are Children of the river, bright as any star **[Chorus – The Heart Resonance]** We are the Salmon People, heart of the river Following the pulse that makes life quiver Grandmother wisdom in the silver tide Where salmon journey and life presides The river keeps beating... the salmon keep swimming The grandmothers keep singing... the heart keeps winning **[Outro – River Blessing]** [Music softens to just guitar and flowing water] (Grandmother voice blessing) May the river keep flowing... may the salmon return... May the grandmothers' wisdom... always burn bright... May we all remember... we are Salmon People too... Part of the river... part of the blue... Part of the pulse... that beats through all life... Thank you river... thank you salmon... thank you life... [Single guitar note fades into river sounds]
