Celebrating Coast Salish Knowledge Systems

Join us for an engaging presentation and celebration of the book The Teachings of Mutton: A Coast Salish Woolly Dog, whose pelt lay forgotten in a Smithsonian drawer for 150 years. According to Indigenous oral histories of the Pacific Northwest, this small dog was bred for thousands of years for its woolly fibres, which were woven into traditional blankets, robes and regalia. Authors Liz Hammond-Kaarremaa, Kerrie Charnley, Andrea Fritz, Violet Elliott and Ty Elliot will read excerpts from The Teachings of Mutton, alongside a discussion. The book brings together narratives of science, histories, knowledges, epistemologies all grounded in Mutton's journey—a tale of research, reawakening and resurgence that will interest Pacific Northwest history buffs, textile and fibre enthusiasts, and dog lovers.