EARTHx: The Ice Age Time Traveller
Alumni All-Access | Oct. 15 | In-person and live-streamed
MacEwan Hall Ballroom, UCalgary Main Campus and Online
Placer gold miners discovered a mummified baby woolly mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius) in the Klondike region of the Yukon in the summer of 2022. Its discovery and rapid recovery was made possible because of the strong relationship between Yukon government scientists and the mining industry.
The mammoth was given the name Nun cho ga by the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in First Nation, which means “Big animal baby” in the Hän language. They have also assumed a guardianship role of this mammoth and, importantly, introduced Indigenous spirituality to the discovery.
Travel back in time and learn about the discovery of Nun cho ga, our current understanding of the mammoth, the landscape it inhabited, and its mechanism of preservation. You'll also learn more about how important it is that the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in First Nation uses culture as a leadership foundation when caring for ancient ancestors.
Reception: 6:15 p.m.
Presentation and live-stream: 7 to 8:30 p.m.
Jeffrey Bond (he/him)
Founder, Mammoth Terrain Inc.
Jeffrey Bond, BSc’93, a surficial geologist and former manager with the Yukon Geological Survey, played a leading role in the recovery of the baby mammoth and led the geological investigation of the site. Bond completed his Bachelor of Science in physical geography at UCalgary and holds a Master of Science in geomorphology from the University of Alberta.
Debbie Nagano (she/her)
Director of heritage, Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in First Nation
Debbie Nagano is an artist, a Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in citizen and a member of the Wolf Clan. She has worked for the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in Government for most of her adult life, with a focus on culture and well-being. Her lifelong connection with the land has given her the knowledge about our role in maintaining its integrity. Lajit dedha’a ts’a lighe tr edaho ay. Respect one another in working together.
The MacEwan Hall Ballroom is located on the third floor of the MacEwan Student Centre (see map) on UCalgary’s Main Campus. Learn more about getting to and parking on campus.
Please note that we will provide a parking code so that you may park for free to attend this event.
Alumni programs are made possible through the generous support of UCalgary Alumni Association Partners TD Insurance and Manulife.