The Cowichan Branch of the Vancouver Island Regional Library is hosting a pair of free events in honour of National Indigenous History Month and National Indigenous People's Day.
First up is a virtual author talk with Lynda Gray Wednesday, June 11, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. via MS Teams (a link will be sent prior to the event).
Register for the event on the VIRL website. There will be a live Q&A.
The Cowichan Branch (Duncan) will live broadcast the event on their television for those that don’t have internet access or want to watch with others.
Gray is Ts’msyen from Lax Kw’alaams, B.C. Her book First Nations 101 is an acclaimed bestseller. She returns home frequently to (re)connect to her Nation, family, friends, language and culture. The second edition of First Nations 101: Tons of Stuff you Should Know was released in 2022 and is an updated and expanded edition of the bestselling title including new chapters on rematriation, water for life, governance ‘options’, Indigenous feminisms, decolonization (mis)appropriation, Indigenous knowledge, and how to become a great ally.
On Monday, June 23 the library is partnering with Volume One Books for an in-person book launch of The Teachings of Mutton: A Coast Salish Woolly Dog with Liz Hammond-Kaarremaa.
The event runs from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Learn about the pelt of a dog named “Mutton” that languished in a drawer at the Smithsonian for 150 years until it was discovered, almost accidentally, by an amateur archivist. This book tells Mutton's story and explores what it can teach us about Coast Salish Woolly Dogs and their cultural significance.
There are plans for Mutton’s pelt to embark on a regional museum tour of the Pacific Northwest, offering Coast Salish people opportunities to hold ceremonies. In addition, a companion documentary will be completed later this year and screened at select venues with the author in attendance.
“Mutton may have lived more than 160 years ago, but he’s still teaching us about woolly dogs, the significance of fibres and textiles in Coast Salish culture, and the deep understanding Indigenous people had of husbandry," Hammond-Kaarremaa noted in a press release. “The story doesn’t end here. I believe Mutton has opened up new doors.”
Local First Nations contributors will be in attendance. Copies of the book will be available for sale. No registration is required.
