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Demasduit (1796?-1820). One of the last of the Beothuk Indians. Demasduit was the wife of Nonosbawsut. She was captured in 1819 and died at Ship Cove, Bay of Exploits, January 8, 1820.

The Beothuk Indians are an extinct race of people. They have often been referred to as the Red Indians because of their habit of smearing their clothes and skin with red ocre. The beothuks also polished their domestic items and the bones of their ancesters with a mixture of red ocre and oils.

In 1500 the Beothuk Indians were the exclusive inhabitants of Newfoundland. They migrated throughout the interior and the coast of the island following the herds of caribou, the migration of birds, water mammels and fish. This changed as Europeans and Amero-Indians settled the island.

The Beothuk Indians probably never numbered over about 1000 persons. And European contact led to feuds and bloodshed.

In 1501, Iberian explorers returned to Portugal with several Beothuks to be sold as slaves. In the early 1500's Beothuks were captured and brought to both France and England to be displayed.

In 1608, Beothuk and/or Innu warriors are recorded to have been feuding with French fishermen on the coast of Newfoundland. And from 1609 until at least 1625, the French Crown authorized St. Malo sailors and merchants to arm and dispatched war ships to the north coast of Newfoundland in order to to protect French fishermen from Beothuk raids.

Bloody feuds developed between fishermen and the Beothuk. Over the centuries there were vicious raids and reprisals, on both sides. Slowly, over time, the Beothuk Indians were marginalized from their traditional hunting and fishing grounds.

From about 1600 to 1800 the fortunes of the Beothuks rose and fell. Uultimately, the Beothuks succumbed to warfare, starvation and disease.

Nonosbawat is reputed to be the last chief of the Beothuk. He died in 1819 while trying to protect his wife (Demasduit) and family from an English raid.

After the death of her husband, Demasduit was kidnapped and  brought to St. John's Newfoundland. In St. John's Demasduit was a great celebrity. She was given freedom of the city and had a cameo portrait painted of her by the wife of the Governor of Newfoundland.

Soon after, Demasduit was returned to the Exploits region, from where she had been abducted. Demasduit died of tuberculosis at Ship Cove, Bay of Exploits, January 8, 1820.

In 1823 a young woman named Shanawdithit, her mother and sister were captured by English fishermen. They were brought to Twillingate and then to St. John's.

The three women were given gifts and supplies for the remaining Beothuks (who, Shanawdithit reported numbered about thirteen in 1823) and were returned to the forest where they were captured.

The three women could not find their lost companions and returned to an English settlement. Shanawdithit's mother and sister died soon after.

In 1829, Shanawdithit died of tuberculosis at Victoria Hospital in St. John's Newfoundland. She was buried at St. Mary's church. She was the last of the Beothuks.

Most of what we know about Beothuk culture, religion and language is derived from the drawings and stories of Shananditit.Shanawdithit drew these six totems. Each totem rests on top of a pole that is approximatly two meters long. They represent aspects of the mythology of her people. They may represent Beothuk clans or perhaps spirits. The totem on the upper left represents a whale tail. The totem in the upper middle may represent Europeans or, more likely, may symbolize a daring raid on a settler community that resulted in a band of Beothuks acquiring a ship and all of it's cargo. The totem on the upper right may represent the sun or the moon. Also, it may represent a device for processing seal and other carcasses. Drawing by Shanawdithit. Circa 1825.

Shanawdithit drew six totems that represented the mythology of her people. They may represent Beothuk clans or perhaps spirits. Each totem rests on top of a pole that is approximatly two meters long.

 
 
 
 

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