Beothuk Religion

Religion of the Beothuk

The Beothuk were a small group of aboriginals who lived in Newfoundland during the time of the European contact during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. The Beothuk culture formed around 1500 ACE. The ancestors of the Beothuk had three earlier cultural phases that migrated from Labrador, each lasting around 500 years, therefore beginning in 1ACE. Current DNA suggests that the Beothuk linked to the same ansestors as the Mi’kmaq, either through mixing of the people or a close common ancestor. 1The Europeans first discovered the island of Newfoundland and the Beothuks in 1947.

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The expedition was approved to recover stolen fishing gear and a boat. One of the groups was lead by John Payton Jr. Payton’s group killed Demasduit’s husband Nonosbawsut, and then ran after her. She pleaded for her life, and bared her breasts to the men to show that she was a nursing mother with a newborn. They ignored her pleading and brought her to Twillingate where Payton Jr. took a bounty on her. Demasduit’s baby died shortly after shewas taken away. Desmasduit was later taken to St. John’s, the colonial government aimed to make her comfortable in hopes that she would be a connection between them and the Beothuk. Desmasduit managed to learn some English and taught them about 200 words from the Beothuk language. In the winter of 1820, she was released to return to her home in Notre Dame Bay, however sadly died on the journey home from tuberculosis. 3
The last known full blood Beothuk was Shanawdithit, born about 1800, and took the English name Nancy April after being rescued from destitution by trappers following her father’s drowning in 1823. She was tall for a woman, yet easily approachable; more was learned from her than any other Beothuk of Newfoundland. In spring 1829, she was placed in a hospital due to health issues. She died on June 6, 1829 from tuberculosis, as like her mother and grand-mother. After the death of Shanawdithit, the Beothuk were officially declared
For more information regarding Desmasduit and her family please refer to: Marshall, Ingeborg. History and Ethnography of the Beothuk. Pages 160-175.

There is limited information on the Beothuks world view and religious practices, most coming from Beothuk captives such as Desmesduit and Shanawdithit, and some from remains found by archeologists. We do know that “as part of the Algonkian family of tribes the Beothuk are likely to have believed in a multiplicity of animate beings. This belief system considered every conspicuous object in nature, such as the sun and moon, animals and plants, as being alive and imbued with its own spirit that had to be treated with respect”4 According to the Beothuk captive Oubee, her people worshipped the sun and moon. Shanawdithit, the last known Beothuk, said that the spirit world of her people included a "Great Spirit," a "Powerful Monster" from the sea and Aich-mud-yim, or "Black Man." Shanawdithit also stated her belief that the first white men who came to Newfoundland, were good spirit and the rest that came, including other natives were bad spirits.” (Marshal