Weaving together First Nations’ traditional knowledge and UBC Biology.

Come to the Longhouse on Sept. 18th and check out our displays on The Science of Cedar, The Symbolism and Genetics of the Spirit Bear, and The Coast Salish Wool Dog!

TRC Biology

Weaving together First Nations’ traditional knowledge and UBC Biology. Come to the Longhouse on Sept. 18 and check out our displays:

  • The Science of Cedar: Western red cedar (Thuja plicata) was used in all aspects of life of the coastal First Nations Peoples of British Columbia. It is considered the tree of life and the foundation of their cultures. What qualities make this tree so versatile? Join us to explore the science behind the traditional knowledge.
  • The symbolism and genetics of the Spirit Bear: To many people’s surprise, the Spirit Bear (Ursus americanus kermodei) is a phenotypic variant of the common black bear (Ursus americanus Pallus). This has been known to First Nations people of coastal B.C., and particularly to the Kitasoo and T’simshian people, for hundreds of years. Recently, the Spirit Bear has also been extensively studied by population geneticists at UBC. Come find out more about this charismatic inhabitant of B.C.’s Great Bear Rainforest!
  • The Coast Salish wool dog: In modern Western culture, people nickname dog hair “chiengora” and have it spun into yarn to make keepsakes of their beloved pets. However, Coast Salish have spun dog hair for hundreds of years! Learn how to spin dog hair (or wool) in the Coast Salish fashion, and see the experimental evidence for the existence and use of the Coast Salish wool dog.

Liane Chen
lchen@zoology.ubc.ca

Shona Ellis
shona.ellis@botany.ubc.ca

Pam Kalas
kalas@zoology.ubc.ca