Newfoundland, Canada’s youngest province, has been inhabited for thousands of years. The Vikings first landed in North America well before Christopher Columbus was even born. When they arrived in, what is now called Newfoundland and Labrador, they met the Beothuk Indians. The site of the oldest Viking settlement in North America is at L’anse Aux Meadows on the northern peninsula of Newfoundland.
The story of the Beothuk is both fascinating and controversial, and it certainly is one of the oldest Mysteries of Canada.
They were tall people with dark eyes and black hair. Their origin is not firmly established, although it is generally believed that they are distant relatives of the Algonquin. They came to Newfoundland, from Labrador, across the 18 kilometer wide Strait of Belle Isle.
Beothuk living sites and burial grounds abound in Newfoundland. It is believed that they inhabited the land for almost 2000 years.
They were first seen from distance. From the time the Indians were first met they developed a well-deserved, fear of the White Man. From the landing of John Cabot in 1497 at Newfoundland, and the first settlement by Europeans in 1610 by John Guy in Cupids, Conception Bay, their land was exploited for its lumber and fish. Some were captured and sent to Europe as slaves, or were put on exhibit as curiosities.
By the 1700’s communities were being built all over Newfoundland. This drove the Beothuk Indiands further away from their native grounds, and away from their natural way of life. Their fear of the white-man kept them out of sight. But did not prevent them from diseases, primarily tuberculosis, brought to the island by the Europeans. Which they had no immunity.
Their isolation and fear of settlers wrote the final chapter of the Beothuk people. In 1823, three sick and starving Beothuk women were found by furriers. Of these, only one survived their immediate illness. Shanawdithit was twenty years old at the time. She lived the remaining six years of her life in St John’s. When she died of tuberculosis in 1829, no more Beothuk Indians were found in Newfoundland.
The Beothuk people were extinct.
dekanawidah
i dont say this to argue, but i genuinely wonder, if the european diseases killed off the natives, why didn’t the viking cause this happen when they were in the same area 500 years before columbus?
Jamie
My guess is that Scandinavia pre-AD900 had a lower or nonexistent density of European diseases, particularly measles, so the early Vikings weren’t a sufficiently contagious reservoir to cause infection.
Robert
I ve always thought that the Vikings came to NFLD and fought to kill natives because of ignorance towards them. The vikings believed in mythotical creatures,so a human being that yells and dances wildly around them are just another target. Can anyone tell me what their names were ? I always thought they were called the BIZZIRKS from which hence the name derives,…going BIZZERK ?
Jacquelyn Lewis-Martelle
Hi Robert! The Indians they encountered were the Beothuk. This tribe Is believed to have died out from exposure to European diseases. There have been some claims to encounters as late as 1850, so it’s possible that they just became very good at hiding from Europeans.
The Norse settlers around the 10th century CE actively traded with the Beothuk. However the two peoples had a talent for pissing each other off and conflict frequently broke out. The Norse called the Beothuk Skraelings, which means skin wearers, referring to their leather clothing. The Beothuk may not have cared for the Norse cutting down the trees in the area in excess of what they felt was reasonable.
In Greenland and Iceland, wood was a valuable thing. But that’s pure speculation on my part.
The term berserk actually comes from a special group of Norse warriors, berserkers. It comes from “bear-sark” bear skin. These warriors were dedicated to Odin and would work themselves into a frenzy in battle, believing themselves to embody the spirit of the bear. We are talking pure, wild-eyed, snarling, fearless and completely insensitive to pain fury! Berserkers were respected by their communities for their courage in battle, but they were difficult to be around, so often lived together in enclaves outside their villages. Hope this helps!
Gabriel R.
Not that this little story will change history.
In 1972, I recorded my grandfather telling a story about his grandfather, who had seen three Beothuk at Devil’s Cove, around 1850. At the same time the fishermen who were spending the winter at Robert’s Arm also saw Beothuk. They reported at least one woman, who was attempting to steal clothing of the clothesline.
If there is an element of truth to this old story, than my Great Great Grandfather probably met the last of the Beothuk.
Each time I recall or tell this short story, I am very saddened.
Ed
Sounds like the Beothuk are the Cherokee of Newfoundland. Every native of Newfoundland claims a Beothuk ancestor. Just like in the US, everybody claims Cherokee blood.
jake
My I don’t know where you are getting your information’my ancestors great’great’great Grandfather and Grandmother were part of the tribe and tortured by the white people’i am white but I dislike white people in which you are the cruealist people on this earth.
Helene Paul
Uh, yeah, Cabot actually NEVER landed in the Americas. He and Columbus were just not seafarers.Neither one ever landed here. You need to do more research. Also, the Vikings never left Canada. We are still here.
Thomas Adams
This article from 1959 seems to illuminate some of the mystery.
https://archive.macleans.ca/article/1959/10/10/the-people-who-were-murdered-for-fun
Helene Paul
Macleans is fake news, buddy. The magazine is owned by the government; the Globalists, so it’s not a reliable source. The elite have tried to lie about everyones history in Canada. For example, they say the Vikings left L’Anse aux Meadows, and didn’t settle in Canada. Well that is a lie, and I am a decendant and my family has been in Canada since the first day they landed here. They also claim Cabot and Columbus landed here, yet their navigation charts clearly show they never even came here. Globalists are gold digging greedy reptiles.
Sara Dís
My name is Sarah i`m descendant of Beothuk woman i live in Iceland
Alexa
wow that is really really crazy, my best friends grandmother was too????
Amanda
my great great grandmother was beothuk… are they really extinct? 🙂
Nancy J,Seeney Bryant
High Carol though related in spirit and DNA my sister had her DNA done several years ago proving we are 95 percent Lenni Lenape directly related to Powhattan his brother Opaconaughwas married to Nakita Hughes one of ny great grandmothers she was sent on a trail of tears as my other greatgrandmother out of Nova Scotia who was related to the Beothuks they came to Nova Scocia after being scattered by trappers and English and the Dutch the King stole their land too so it is grand to know the promis of your DNA being Beothuk is fulfilled makes me extatic congradulations Carol Ah Ho!
Nonsensce
DNA cannot identify individual tribes. It can only identify if you have Native American ancestry.
Sandra
They don’t mean the Beothuk people are extinct they mean the Beothuk culture is extinct.
If you have Beothuk ancestors you probably don’t celebrate/participate in there culture.
B Snow
If there are no more Beothuks living then, that means they are extinct not just their culture.
Chief Carol SongofJoy
But they have never met the Beothuk who practice the Beothuk Culture. I am the Grand daughter of the Beothuk Longnon family; my grandparents are documented LONGNON
Daniel
this does NOT explain what happened to them the settlers made games out of killing them for no reason
Dave M
Not all of the Beothuks died as is claimed in the European history books. Capt. James Cook recorded in one of his writings, of meeting an Englishman living in the wilderness, by the surname of Brake upon his exploration of the Humber River in Newfoundland. He noted that this man (Brake) was married to a Beothuk woman and they had children that were the first inhabitants of the Humber River/Corner Brook area. My mother (maiden name Brake) showed me a very old journal which had the excerpt of this information in it. Today, there are thousands of Brakes in the Corner Brook NL region. They all share the Beothuk blood. This was hidden for centuries as the Beothuks were hunted down by the European settlers and they had to keep their identity a secret for fear of genocide… I am not sure of the exact journal where Capt. Cook recorded his encounter, but it was in his log books and journals from when he was mapping the west coast of Newfounland around the 1760’s… The Beothuks are not all extinct, but they were interbreed with the first European pioneers of the west coast and central regions of NL.
So, why did the government of the time want it stated that all Beothuks were extinct? Simple, they did not want any of the inhabitants of the new found land to have any claim on the kings land… It was genocide, and it was a dark part of our history…
Michelle L
Dave M, was this woman a Park/Joe by any chance? I’ve been researching my Mi’kmaq line and there’s a Park/Joe woman who married a Brake around that time. I’ve suspected my maternal Joe connection might have been Beothuk for awhile.
Michelle L
– was the man’s name Edward Matthew Brake?
Nonsensce
So because Neanderthals bred with modern humans they are not extinct because modern humans are still alive? Thats not how it works – the Beothuks are extinct.
Chief Carol SongofJoy
the Brake and Joe family are only Mikmaq. They were not th e Beothuk.. The Beothuk are the LONGNON family and that was already proven this year 2018.
Grand Chief Carol Reynolds Boyce
The Prophetic Legend of the Beothuk Red Ochre Tribeof Newfoundland who were claimed to be extinct in the 1820’s, and folks stated:”One day the Beothuk will return.”; it was confirmed on 10/13/2016, that Beothuk First Nation DNA rendered positive for Grand Chief Carol A. Reynolds Boyce, Founder of Beothuk Tribe of NFLD & N.America Reservation Nation; therefore the Beothuk Red Ochre tribe is no longer extinct, but an endangered race and tribe. There are 17 to count from this family and tribe. Wiki has a picture of the Chief and a pick of the DNA results.
The prophetic legend has now been fulfilled and I pray that the Parliament: Honorable Prime Minister Trudeau and Aboriginal Affairs Carolyn Bennett and Edinburgh Scotland Museum will not ignore my repeated letters to recognize me and my Tribe and that they will halt the Qualipu Mikmaq Chief Joe from Taking are tribal remains and violating Tribal Laws against my tribe and that my declaration for ALL digging of my ancestors Burial grounds be halted for ever, perpetually; I declare if you find remains, identify them to the authorities and don’t steal my ancestors remains and artifacts from all sacred burial Beothuk Tribal Lands. It is violating Tribal Laws of my Beothuk First Nation and CLAN!! It is a Federal offense if violated. Think: Could you imagine if Beothuk First Nation tribe were to put your European grandparents bones and sacred burial memorial items/named artifacts were placed in a Glass case for tourist to view for exchange of monies. Please write your government and Parliament to assist Beothuk First Nation Tribe .
Warmly, Grand Chief: Carol A. Reynolds Boyce
Stephanie
Carol where have you been all these years?… In AMERICA? (U.S.A.)
Chief Carol SongofJoy
No, I am Canadian.
Sallymarie
Yes she was just Google her, raised in New Hampshire to a Newfie mother, American father, all college educated in the US. worked as a school teacher in North Carolina then became a Canadian citizen. I don’t doubt some of what she says may true but she’s very vindictive and slanderous of other people
Nonsensce
DNA cannot identify individual tribes. It can only identify if you have American Native ancestry. The Roman Empire fought German tribes thus do you think Americans of German ancestry can identify which German tribe they are from by checking their DNA? Native Americans stole land form each other. In 1776 the Lakota, who migrated form Minnesota, were in the final stages of a military campaign against the Cheyenne to steal the Black Hills. This was made possible by the introduction of horses by Europeans which transformed the Lakota from one of the poorest tribes to one of the most powerful as they no longer had to rely on hunting Buffalo on foot.
akicita
Us Lak(h)ota have our Oral Histories, our truths. We were always here and we don’t need to listen or believe imperialistic, land grabbing people’s stories of who we are or where we come from. Horses were already here as well. Your definition of poor is based on your idea of a book that bestows wealth in your heaven where jewels line the gates, etc. We have our own valuables and spirituality is one of the many valuables your kind will never know.
Albert Moore
I was reading about the Beothuk Indians late one night and I came across a picture of a well dressed young lady, in the 1880’s I believe, with the last name of Pond. She was supposed to be 1 of the last know citizens in Newfoundland to have Beothuk bloodlines. Can anyone confirm, deny, or enlighten me in any way on this subject.
Chief Carol SongofJoy
Yes, the Pond family are my cousins and Mr John Hill who is the owner of the origonal records and the photos submitted the documents to me and we are all the members of the Beothuk First Nation who are fighting for our rights while the News reports false statements. I am of the Beothuk Longnon grandchildren and Prime Minister Trudeau emails me as Chief .
c squires
are you still actively fighting for recognition ?
Alex
Dear Bruce Ricketts,
I´m related to some beothuk people so i think they´ed rather be called aborigional or indegionus because in your second paragraph you called them indians witch is not right. They were just called indians because of Cristopher Columbus was origionaly looking for india but stumbled upon northern united states.
,sincerly
Alexander Chenier
Carol Reynolds Boyce
I am a direct descendant.
W Payne
You can get a D N A test to confirm that
Grand Chief Carol Reynolds Boyce
See Wikipedia for uploads: Beothuk First Nation DNA results positive on 10/13/2016 and photo of Grand Chief Carol A Reynolds Boyce, Founder of Beothuk Tribe of NFLD & N.America Reservation Nation 09/08/2016.
I am not extinct, I am an endangered race and tribe. There are 17 in my tribe and no one seems care.
Warmly, Grand Chief Carol A. Reynolds Boyce
Nancy J,Seeney Bryant
The Beothuk live on through our Nation Micmoq and Lenni Lenape As my gggggreatgrandmother and a host of other desendants out of Nova Scocia through Algonquin people’s the Lenni Lenape and so on we’re sent to other places as we survived their brutal trails of tears and married and mingled our DNA we are still land inheiriters and owners ond day as Carol we will have our land back Ah Ho
Nonsensce
Your DNA cannot prove what tribe you came from. That is a lie. It only can prove if you have Native American heritage.
CAROL
the accu metrics dna company did not measure my dna correctly and so my couisns took the dna test at 23&me and it was measured correctly; it is HAPLOGROUP MTDNA C1c and this time it matches the MUNN UNIVERSITY MCMASTER DNA CHART OF OUR FAMILY MEMBER DEMASDUIT-BEOTHUK -HAPLOGROUP MTDNA:C1c. WE ARE THE BEOTHUK FIRST NATION TRIBE OSA ANA AND WE PRACTICE OUR CULTURE, RELIGION AND TRADITIONS. PERSONS THAT STATED THE BEOTHUK ARE CULTURALLY EXTINCT HAVE NEVER ME US; SO THEIR OPINION IS NOT EVIDENCE.
Nonsensce
They were not the original settlers of Newfoundland. The Micmac killed them for a French bounty – so much for Indian brotherhood. Native Americans practiced slavery, murdered each other, stole each land, women, and possessions long before Europeans arrived. The so called acred Black Hills were stolen by the Lakota from the Cheyenne and other tribes.
Paul Pike
FYI. What you are speaking of is known as the Mercenary Myth and it was taught in school books for years. It has since been proven to be FALSE and just more European Here-say.