• Age: 6 to 8
• Grade: 1 to 3
• Reading age: 6 to 8

A powerful medicine man, Yamozha is prominent in many Dene stories. In this vividly illustrated legend, Yamozha forgets a promise to his wife and she transforms into a giant beaver. Determined to turn her back into a woman, he sets off in search of her, but his efforts are in vain because she does not wish to be caught. According to the legend, Yamozha's passionate pursuit forever changed the landscape and created many of the striking natural features of the Tli cho region.

Written in English and Dogrib.

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.

Vital Thomas' profile page

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.

Archie Beaulieu's profile page

Mary Siemens' profile page

Yamozha and His Beaver Wife

This illustrated picture book tells the story of Yamozha who, abandoned by his brother and living alone in the bush along the Mackenzie River, finds an orphaned girl who agrees to be his wife as long he promises that she will never get her feet wet. Yamozha fails to uphold his promise and she turns into a beaver. As a distraught Yamozha follows his beaver wife and tries to capture her, his actions result in the formation of the distinct features of the area’s landscape. This legend, one of a series, teaches about the unique landscape of the southwestern corner of the Northwest Territories, an area inhabited by Dene people. The text is written in both English and Dogrib.

A CD, on which the story is told in both Dogrib and English, and an orthography and pronunciation chart of the Dogrib language are included.

Yamozha and His Beaver Wife

This illustrated picture book tells the story of Yamozha who, abandoned by his brother and living alone in the bush along the Mackenzie River, finds an orphaned girl who agrees to be his wife as long he promises that she will never get her feet wet. Yamozha fails to uphold his promise and she turns into a beaver. As a distraught Yamozha follows his beaver wife and tries to capture her, his actions result in the formation of the distinct features of the area’s landscape. This legend, one of a series, teaches about the unique landscape of the southwestern corner of the Northwest Territories, an area inhabited by Dene people. The text is written in both English and Dogrib.

A CD, on which the story is told in both Dogrib and English, and an orthography and pronunciation chart of the Dogrib language are included.