Beothuk

The Beothuk (/biːˈɒtək/ or /ˈbeɪ.əθʊk/; also spelled Beothuck) were a group of Indigenous people who lived on the island of Newfoundland. They had a rich culture that developed around the year 1500. Their ancestors had lived in the area for many hundreds of years before that, moving from Labrador to Newfoundland a very long time ago. The Beothuk were one of the many groups that called this beautiful land home before others arrived.

Description

The Beothuk lived on the island of Newfoundland, mainly around the Notre Dame and Bonavista Bay areas. When Europeans first met them, there were probably between 500 and 1,500 Beothuk people. They lived in small family groups of about 30 to 55 people.

They built special homes called mamateeks for the winter. These were made from poles tied together and covered with birch bark. Inside, there was a fireplace in the middle and a hollow floor for sleeping. In the spring, they used red ochre to paint their bodies, homes, canoes, and tools. This was very important to them and part of a big celebration. They mainly ate caribou, salmon, and seals, and they followed these animals as they moved. They also made food from tree sap and the eggs of the great auk, and they saved extra food for winter. Their canoes were made from animal skin and could carry families and their belongings. When someone died, they were buried with special items left behind to help them on their journey.

European exploration

Around the year 1000, explorers from Norway, led by Leif Erikson, met Indigenous people in northern Newfoundland. These people might have been ancestors of the Beothuk or related to the Dorset people of Labrador and Newfoundland. The Norse called them skrælingjar, meaning "skraelings."

Starting in 1497, when John Cabot, an Italian explorer sailing for King Henry VII, arrived, more Europeans came to the area. Unlike other Indigenous groups, the Beothuk often tried to stay away from Europeans. They moved deeper into the forests as European settlements grew. Sometimes, they would return to old camps to collect useful items left behind, like metal tools or building materials.

Meetings between Europeans and the Beothuk were often difficult. Both sides wanted the same natural resources, like fish, seals, and birds. Trappers set traps that disrupted the Beothuk's hunting, and sometimes took their supplies. This led to conflicts, with both sides sometimes stealing from each other or ambushing the other. Though Europeans had better weapons, the Beothuk were not interested in using firearms.

Sometimes, Europeans tried to make peace. For example, in 1768, an officer named George Cartwright searched for the Beothuk and learned more about their culture. In 1811, another officer, David Buchan, also tried to learn more, but this ended sadly when some of his men were harmed during a meeting near Beothuk Lake.

Causes of starvation

The Beothuk people moved away from Europeans in Newfoundland by going inland. First, they went to other coastal areas where Europeans didn’t have fishing camps, but these areas were too crowded. Then, they moved further inland. Their usual foods were caribou, fish, and seals. Because they were forced to leave their homeland, they lost access to fish and seals. This made them hunt caribou too much, which reduced the caribou population. Moving to new areas that couldn’t provide enough food led to hunger and, eventually, starvation for the Beothuk.

Extinction

The Beothuk people, who lived in Newfoundland, saw their numbers shrink quickly in the early 1800s. This happened for several reasons: they lost access to food because European settlers took over their land, they caught diseases like smallpox and tuberculosis that their bodies weren't used to, and they had fights with trappers and settlers.

By 1829, after the death of a woman named Shanawdithit, the Beothuk were considered to have no members left. Some stories say a few Beothuk survived and mixed with European colonists, Inuit, and Mi'kmaq people. One woman named Santu Toney, who lived around 1835, said her father was Beothuk and sang a song in their language.

Historians have different ideas about whether the Beothuk disappeared because of accidents from European settlement or because of planned harmful actions. Some think there was intent to harm them, while others see it as unintended results of settlement. Records from that time show that some Europeans did treat the Beothuk badly, but officials later tried to stop this by asking everyone to be kind to them.

Notable Beothuk captives

Several Beothuk people were captured by settlers from the Newfoundland Colony in the early 1800s.

Demasduit

Main article: Demasduit

Demasduit was a Beothuk woman, about 23 years old, captured by a group led by a fisherman named John Peyton Jr. near Beothuk Lake in March 1819. The settlers named her Mary March after the month she was taken. She was taken to St. John's, where she learned some English and shared words from the Beothuk language with the settlers. She was later allowed to return to her people but sadly passed away on the way back.

Shanawdithit

Main article: Shanawdithit

Shanawdithit, Demasduit's niece, was the last known full-blooded Beothuk. In 1823, she and her family sought help from a settler because they were very hungry. They were taken to St. John's, but her mother and sister became very ill and passed away. Shanawdithit was called Nancy April by the settlers and lived with John Peyton Jr. for several years. An explorer named William Cormack started the Beothuk Institute in 1827 to learn about and support the Beothuk people. He brought Shanawdithit to his centre, where she shared drawings and stories about her people's way of life. Despite care from a doctor, she also passed away from the same illness in 1829.

Archaeology

The area around eastern Notre Dame Bay, on the northeast coast of Newfoundland, has many archaeological sites from Indigenous cultures. One important site is Boyd's Cove. It is protected by islands and was discovered in 1981 during a survey to learn more about the Beothuk people.

Because there were few records from Europeans who met the Beothuk, much about their lives remains unknown. Unlike other groups such as the Huron or Mi'kmaq, the Beothuk did not have much contact with European missionaries or traders who kept records.

Archaeologists have found sixteen Indigenous sites in the area, dating from very old times up to the time of the Beothuk. Two of these sites are from the historical Beothuk period. Boyd's Cove is the larger one, covering 3,000 m².

Artifacts found at these sites show that the Beothuk made tools and other items from materials left behind by European fishermen, such as nails. They used these materials to make projectile points, scrapers, and other useful objects.

Genetics

In 2007, scientists studied DNA from the teeth of two Beothuk people, Demasduit and her husband Nonosabasut, who lived in the 1820s. The DNA showed they belonged to special groups also found in today's Mi'kmaq people in Newfoundland. This research showed they had ancestry only from Indigenous peoples, not a mix with Europeans as some older studies thought. Later studies in 2011 found some differences between the Beothuk and Mi'kmaq, meaning they were not as closely related as once believed.