Yamozha and His Beaver Wife

Publisher's description (Theytus Books, 2007): 
Yamozha and His Beaver Wife is a story based upon an oral legend of the Dene people. Yamozha stories entertain but also teach and pass on knowledge. In this legend, Yamozha forgets his promise to his wife and as a result she turns into a giant beaver. He chases her all over Denedeh but is unable to catch her. This story tells of how this great medicine man shaped the land in the Dogrib region and surrounding areas into what it is today. Included in this book is a multimedia CD-ROM. Author Vital Thomas and illustrator Archie Beaulieu are Dene.

Author and Illustrator biographies (Theytus Books, 2007): 
Vital Thomas passed the story of Yamozha and His Beaver Wife to June Helm, who spent much of her life studying the Dogrib people. Storytelling has been part of Dene life for centuries, and the story of Yamozha and His Beaver Wife is well known to the Dogrib people.

Tlicho artist, Archie Beaulieu, from Behchoko, Northwest Territories considers his art a continuation of his Dene culture, passed down to him by his grandmother. Archie's spiritual, abstract style of painting has gained him national and international recognition. His originals can be found in the collections of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and Pope John Paul II.

Resource format: Picturebook

Age recommendation: Grades 2 - 6

Keywords: oral tradition, Dene, Dogrib, Tlicho, language revitalization, storytelling, stories, language, land, loss, companionship, land, culture, water, landscapes, forest, beaver, Dogrib language, prononciation guide, CD-ROM

Year of publication: 2007

Publisher information: Theytus Books