aerial view of Building 200 at VIU's Nanaimo campus

VIU Deep Bay event explores cultural story of the Coast Salish Woolly Dog 

The book cover of The Teachings of Mutton shows a black background with white dog fur in the foreground

The cover page of The Teachings of Mutton: A Coast Salish Woolly Dog

What:  Book reading and community discussion with Liz Hammond-Kaarremaa and Andrea Fritz, authors of The Teachings of Mutton: A Coast Salish Woolly Dog, along with special guests.

When:  Sunday, July 13, 2 to 4 pm

Where:  VIU Deep Bay Marine Field Station, 370 Crome Point Road, Bowser, BC 

Admission: Free, donations welcome 

Vancouver Island University’s Deep Bay Marine Field Station invites the public to a free event with authors Liz Hammond-Kaarremaa and Andrea Fritz for a reading and discussion of The Teachings of Mutton: A Coast Salish Woolly Dog

Liz smiling at the camera
Liz Hammond-Kaarremaa is the book's author

The book tells the story of Mutton, a Coast Salish Woolly Dog whose pelt was left unexamined in a drawer at the Smithsonian for 150 years. The Coast Salish once raised these now-extinct dogs for their wool, which was used in robes, blankets and regalia. The book explores what Mutton can teach us about Coast Salish Woolly Dogs and their cultural significance.

Andrea Fritz smiling at the camera
Andrea Fritz is the book's co-author/illustrator

This event takes place at VIU’s Deep Bay Marine Field Station, which is near Chrome Island, also called ch’namen (dog island). It was home to Woolly Dogs kept by Qualicum and K’ómoks First Nation ancestors.

Special guests 

  • Michael Recalma – Chief, Qualicum First Nation.
  • Carrie Reid – Author, Artist and Educator, Qualicum First Nation.
  • Liz Hammond-Kaarremaa – co-author, Coast Salish textile researcher, VIU Honorary Research Associate and Research Associate, Smithsonian Museum of Natural History.
  • Andrea Fritz – Lyackson First Nation artist, storyteller and co-author/illustrator of The Teachings of Mutton. Andrea is known for her bold Coast Salish style and has written several children’s books. A new one on the Woolly Dog is coming this fall.
  • Audrey Lin – Research Associate, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History; Postdoctoral Scholar and Geneticist, American Museum of Natural History, Dr. Lin published DNA findings about Mutton in the journal Science.
  • Representatives from Baseline Archaeology, who conducted recent Deep Bay study during which Woolly Dog remains were found.
  • Martin Martens – Professor, VIU Faculty of Management, on whose Deep Bay property Woolly Dog remains were found during a recent archeological study. 

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Media Contact: 

Eric Zimmer, Communications Officer, Vancouver Island University 

P: 250.618.7296 | E: Eric.Zimmer@viu.ca |W: news.viu.ca 

 

The VIU community acknowledges and thanks the Snuneymuxw, Quw’utsun, Tla’amin, Snaw-naw-as and Qualicum First Nation on whose traditional lands we teach, learn, research, live and share knowledge. 

 

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