Coast Salish Woolly Dogs

July 13 2025, 2 - 4 pm

Coast Salish Woolly Dogs: A public reading and discussion with Liz Hammond-Kaarremaa, author of The Teachings of Mutton: A Coast Salish Woolly Dog.

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

Join Vancouver Island University in celebrating the Coast Salish peoples’ cultural tradition of keeping (now-extinct) Woolly dogs as sources of woolly fibres used in textiles such as traditional blankets, robes and regalia. VIU’s Deep Bay Marine Field Station is near Crome Island: once home to Woolly dogs belonging to Qualicum First Nations ancestors. This island is now recognizable as the symbol of the 'Lighthouse Country' tourism area, but its history goes much further back in time. Come and find out more about this important site and longstanding Coast Salish Woolly dog traditions with Liz Hammond-Kaarremaa and some of her co-authors. Joining the discussion will be:

  • Chief Michael Recalma, Qualicum First Nation
  • Carrie Reid, Educator and Artist, Qualicum First Nation
  • Liz Hammond-Kaarremaa, Hon. Research Associate, Anthropology Department. Vancouver Island University, and Research Associate, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
  • Audrey Lin, Postdoctoral Scholar, American Museum of Natural History, and Research Associate, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. Dr. Lin published on Mutton's DNA in top journal Science and is currently doing follow-up research on other dog bones collected in the Comox/Qualicum area.
  • Rob Field, Local Archaeologist with Sea-Beneath Marine & Heritage, whose team discovered Woolly Dog remains in the Bowser area.
  • Martin Martens, Professor, VIU Management Department

Admission at this public reading is free, donations welcome.

Date and Time:
July 13 2025, 2 - 4 pm
Attendance: In-person
Location: Deep Bay Marine Field Station
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