In Western culture, the phrase “A dog is man’s best friend” is often quoted with little or no dispute. It is paraphrased from the closing argument of a legal case in 1870 about a hunting dog that was killed by a neighbor.

By the end of the 19th century, there was barely a trace of anything resembling a dog whose coat was suitable for spinning in the Pacific Northwest.

Bull Musk ox. Photo: Robert Haasman For nearly a century, Greenland has been peddling musk ox, sending young calves to the United States, Russia, Norway, and Canada. Roughly 200,000 years ago, this shaggy behemoth originally trudged across the Bering Sea Land Bridge, traveling across Alaska, Canada, and eventually to Greenland. At one time, the musk ox lived as far south as the American Midwest.   Prized for its adaptability, musk ox stay comfortable in temperatures at 50 bel

Ellen Frederiksen on her farm in South Greenland Photo :  Alexandra Dayley Clark

I have often said that if, heaven forbid, my house is on fire, I won’t reach for my jewelry or family photos; I will reach for my qiviut—the luxurious fiber from the musk ox. Given my profession, this should not come as a surprise. Admittedly, I have only a few items, which makes them that much more precious. They are equal parts pricey and priceless.

Herding sheep in Greenland (circa 1924)

A pair of walruses hauled out on the snow, Svalbard, Norway.

Milton and Matilda were musk ox and part of a long-standing, international gifting protocol that likely originated with the elephant, Abul Abbas, who was given to Charlemagne.

A woman at an indigo dye house in Bagru, India. Photo: Linda Cortright

Two years ago, I happened upon a man named Moin in Jaipur, who quickly transitioned from sweet-talking Indian driver, to beloved friend—an evolution that took less than an afternoon.

Some of the ladies at KnitPro's factory in Jaipur, India. Admittedly, I have never stopped to think about how knitting needles are made....

A collage of Crossman's netted sea creatures. Photo: Luke Eder Photography   My aunt is the family’s reigning matriarch and is therefore...

Street dogs always sleep with one eye open. Photo: Linda Cortright

On the day of Ganesha Chathurti, it is fair to ask who gets the final vote: man or god?

Cooper is an accidental farmer. More than a decade ago, she traveled from her home in England to Scotland’s Orkney Islands and fell in love. It was there that she met her first Boreray sheep, a majestic-looking breed with horns that spiral in Fibonacci perfection, and a history as old as time itself.

Sheep shearing demonstration - R.A. Rooney, shearing contractors, Sydney, Australia. circa 1916

We have all had those experiences where a single decision, one that seems wholly insignificant in the moment, can alter the course of our lives. We have all had those experiences where a single decision, one that seems wholly insignificant in the moment, can alter the course of our lives. For Amanda Kievet, co-founder of Junction Fiber Mill, the fateful decision came down to a beanie.For Amanda Kievet, co-founder of Junction Fiber Mill, the fateful decision came down to a bea

Peggy Allen (standing) and Amanda Kievet Photo: Linda Cortright

Flock of Merinos, Powerhouse Museum.

Filmed and narrated by Stanzin Dorjai Gya, "Behind the Mirror" follows twenty-six students from India's High Himalayas to a village in France where they will live with a French family for three months.