Demasduit biography for kids

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Demasduit facts for kids

Watercolour on ivory miniature Portrait of Demasduit (Mary March), by Henrietta Hamilton, (Library and Archives Canada)

This miniature portrait called A female Red Indian of Newfoundlandand dated by some sources may have been painted by naturalist Philip Henry Gosseand is most likely a later copy of Portrait of Demasduitby Hamilton (above)

Demasduit (c. – January 8, ) was a Beothuk woman, one of the last of her people on Newfoundland.

Biography

Demasduit was born c. , near the end of the 18th century. It was once believed that the Beothuk population had been decimated by conflict with European settlers. However, the most reliable research today suggests instead that the Beothuk population was very small, between and people at the time of European contact, and when European settlers arrived permanently, the Beothuk were cut off from their traditional coastal hunting grounds. Furthermore, there was no one to promote peaceful relations between

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Demasduit

Beothuk woman

Demasduit (c. – January 8, ^[3]) was a Beothuk woman, one of the gods of her people on Newfoundland.

Biography

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Demasduit was born around , near the end of the 18th century. It was once believed that the Beothuk population had been decimated by conflict with europeisk settlers. However, the most reliable research^{[by whom?]} today^[when?] suggests^{[citation needed]} instead that the Beothuk population was very small, between and 1, people at the time of European contact, and when European settlers arrived permanently, the Beothuk were cut off from their traditional coastal hunting grounds. Furthermore, there was no one to promote peaceful relations between the Beothuk and the settlers. As Newfoundland's population was small,^[quantify] a missionary effort could not be supported, and the European governments were mainly interested in marine resources, so no agents were appointed to liaise

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Beothuk Indian Fact Sheet (Red Indians)

Demasduit of the Beothuk Red Indian girl dancing

What is the correct pronunciation of "Beothuk?" What does it mean?
How Beothuk people pronounced this name was never accurately recorded. Most English speakers have pronounced Beothuk BEE-oth-uck, although some have pronounced it BAY-oth-uck or BEE-oth-ick. No one knows its meaning, though some scholars have suggested "the people," "good people," or "kinship."

Why were Beothuks called "Red Indians?" Was their skin red?
Their skin wasn't really red, but the Beothuks painted their bodies and clothing with red ochre paint. Many Indians used red ochre as an insect repellant, but the Beothuks considered red a sacred color and wore it all year long. Neighboring tribes called them the Red People, and the Europeans called them Red Indians.

Aren't other tribes Red Indians too?
Some Europeans started using "Red Indians" to refer to all Native Americans, not jus