Step into the world of the Salish Wool Dog, a small, long-haired known by Coast Salish peoples for its wool, an essential part of weaving and cultural traditions. This event highlights Indigenous knowledge through research, storytelling, and film.
The evening will have the first-ever public screening of the new short film on the history and legacy of the woolly dog, as well as a talk with Liz Hammond-Kaarremaa, co-author of the book The Teachings of Mutton: A Coast Salish Woolly Dog.
A panel discussion of Indigenous knowledge keepers and weavers will delve into the cultural role of the woolly dog, the impacts of colonization, and current efforts to share this history.
The Teachings of Mutton: A Coast Salish Woolly Dog, Books and related items will be available for purchase, with a signing to follow.
Date: Sunday, November 23, 2025
Time: 1:00pm-3:00pm
Tickets:
$23 General Admission
Free Indigenous
(plus fees and taxes)
Please note that photos or video may be captured at this event and used for promotional or reporting purposes. If you do not wish to be photographed, please let organizers know.
If tickets are sold out and you would like to be added to the waitlist, please email programs@museumofvancouver.ca
About the Book and Film:
The Teachings of Mutton: A Coast Salish Woolly Dog
Until now, there has been very little written about the enigmatic Coast Salish Woolly Dog, or sqʷəmey̓ in the Hul'q'umi'num language. 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. Although the dogs were carefully protected by Coast Salish peoples, by the 1900s, the Woolly Dog had become so rare it is now considered extinct.
Threads that Bind - The Story of the Coast Salish Woolly Dog
Threads that Bind explores the story of the woolly dog—a breed domesticated thousands of years ago by the Coast Salish of the Pacific Northwest, but unfortunately became extinct in the late 1800s. Coast Salish communities cherished the woolly dog for its soft white fur, which they sheared to create intricate textiles central to their culture. Recently, a woolly dog pelt was discovered at the Smithsonian and genetically sequenced, offering new insights into the dog’s origins and its role in Coast Salish heritage. The film was co-produced by Coast Salish Elders, Knowledge Keepers, weavers, the Smithsonian, and the CORVA Studio Lab at Penn State University with the goal of providing a holistic view of the revered woolly dog.
About the Book and Panelists:
Liz Hammond-Kaarremaa (Co-Author)
Bio
Alison Ariss (Moderator)
Alison is a PhD candidate in art history and a Public Scholars Initiative Fellow at UBC. She earned an art history MA at UBC and a BA Honours in anthropology at Waterloo. As a settler, Alison views her research as an (un)learning process that centres Salish weaving knowledge. Alison has volunteer and work experience with public interest research organizations, community arts groups and museums.
Chief Janice George (Speaker)
Chepximiya Siyam Chief Janice George and her husband, Skwetsimeltxw Willard (Buddy) Joseph have reclaimed the Salish weaving tradition and taught others throughout the Salish speaking territory and beyond.
Their work began in Squamish Territory, weaving the technical, spiritual and generational teachings together. Janice and Buddy integrate the Squamish teachings from Janice’s late Grandmother Kwitelut-t Lena Jacobs—an elder and knowledge keeper who was directly connected to pre-contact times, as well as those of other Squamish ancestors.
Chief Janice George and Buddy Joseph, along with Leslie Tepper, co-authored the 2017 book, Salish Blankets: Robes of Protection and Transformation, Symbols of Wealth. Janice is a hereditary chief, trained museum curator and educator, and also co-organized the First Canada Northwest Coast Weavers Gathering with other Squamish Nation Weavers.
Debbie Sparrow (Speaker)
Bio
Violet Elliot (Speaker)
Hello,my name is Violet Elliott, Sulmilthia. I am a Salish weaver and have been weaving for over 29 years, following in the footsteps of my grandmothers and great-grandmothers. Weaving is more than a skill; it is prayer, calm, and connection. Each thread carries gratitude for the wool, the land, and the teachings. Guided by spirit, weaving is my pathway back to my Ancestors, and I honor this gift with a good heart and mind.
Senaqwila Wyss (Speaker)
Bio
Eliot White-Hill (Speaker)
Bio