Calls made to repatriate Beothuk remains

Yahoo Canada ^ | Saturday, June 23, 2012 | CBC

[SunkenCiv]

Aboriginal groups want bones of the extinct Beothuk people to be removed from museum vaults and brought back to Newfoundland.

A woman named Shanawdithit was the last known member of her people, with her 1829 death in St. John's marking the end of the Beothuk. Disease, persecution and the Beothuk's decision to withdraw from coastal communities have been cited as causes of wiping out the Beothuk.

The location of Shanawdithit's grave is not known, but the skulls of her aunt and uncle -- a chief -- languish in a museum in Edinburgh, Scotland.

The remains of at least 22 Beothuk are held in Canadian museum vaults...

For decades, the skeletons of a 6'6" Beothuk man and a child had been on full display at the Newfoundland Museum in St. John's. The remains, though, have long been packed away, as well as others.

Researchers have done some DNA and isotope testing, to confirm genetic connections to contemporary aboriginal people. Funding for that research, though, ran out a couple of years ago, and the project is at a standstill.

Misel Joe, chief of the Mi'kmaq reserve at Conne River in southern Newfoundland, not far from a former Beothuk excavation site, wants researchers to continue with their work, so that the remains can eventually be returned.

The Canadian Museum of Civilization has the remains of at least 10 Beothuk, although archaeology director David Morrison says repatriation is complicated because there are no known descendants of the Beothuk.

[SunkenCiv]

Misel Joe: 'It's just the right thing to do.'

[SunkenCiv]

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[VeniVidiVici]

A 6’6” indian?

[Copenhagen Smile]

If it is indeed Beothuk remains, give them over for burial.

Burying the dead is a work of mercy. I wouldn't want my bones to be ogled at in a glass case.

[SunkenCiv]

Forgot ya.

[SunkenCiv]

My view on that is more like the Klingons’.

[SunkenCiv]

And couldn’t play basketball.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

***A 6’6” indian?***

There was found in the Aztec NM ruins buried body of a very tall warrior. He was on display for years till the whiners got him removed. The last time I inquired about his whereabouts (1972), the ranger on duty said he was stored in the museum basement.

[Tainan]

I quite agree.
Too much of what passes for "Archeology" is nothing more than sanctioned grave robbing...IMO.

[davius]

The Micmacs were enemies of the Beothunk. The Beothunk were known to the English as ‘Red Indians’ due to their habit of decorating themselves with red ochre. The Beothunk were likely the first Indians encountered by first wave Viking explorers. Some Beothunk were taken into slavery by the English. In general, the Beothunk were wiped out by the second wave Europeans before they even established communication with one another. What little is known of their language is derived from two captive women who were asked to name objects in English households. The fact that they had never seen a tea cup, house cat, or chandelier wasn't taken into account and no written record was made of the endeavor. The Micmacs have a history of assimilating captured enemies so there is a possibility that a diluted Beothunk genome persists among them today. Fun Fact: The Micmacs have dual US/Canadian citizenship and travel freely between the two countries.

[davius]

Beothunk = Beothuks

[Thor1966]

Micmacs or their tradition spelling Mi'kmaq are not native to Newfoundland, as I should know because I have been born and raised in central Newfoundland and married to a Mi'kmaq woman whose grandmother was 100% Mi'kmaq from Conne River. Mi'kmaq were brought to Newfounland from Nova Scotia to KILL beothuk indians. When fisherman in the fishing ports started to have axes, knives, etc taken and replaced with beothuck made tools or trinkets (beothuks believe they were just doing fair trade with the whites) told the owners (the merchants) of the stages they worked in of the stolen tools the merchants got the British government to bring in the Mi'kmaq.

Long story short the Mi'kmaq killed most of the Beothuks with the last of their tribe were killed or taken prisoner on Red Indian Lake. Graves are still to this day being found all along the Exploits river which runs next to my town.

And your fun fact might concern Nova Scotia Mi'kmaq but Newfoundland Mi'kmaq do not have dual citizenship.

[davius]

Thanks! I knew about the Micmac involvement but I felt it might be a sensitive area in which to comment as all parties have denied culpability at times.

I never thought to ask where the Micmacs I've met hailed from in Canada.

[blam]

Letter From Newfoundland: Homing In On The Red Paint People

[Jonty30]

Natives, prior to the white man, were a very healthy people. It was written amongst the Europeans, who first met natives, that they were a very tall people.

6’6 should not be surprising.

[Grimmy]

“The Micmacs have dual US/Canadian citizenship and travel freely between the two countries.”

Huh. So, what you’re saying is that the Micmacs are spies? And, that as spies, they’re working with the Canadian government in Canada’s planned conquest of our more profitable tourist traps?

[1010RD]

Aboriginal groups = designated victim group = people who must be deferred to/obeyed regardless of facts or reality

[afraidfortherepublic]

A 6’6” indian?

They'll probably find that he has some Norwegian DNA in those bones...

[VeniVidiVici]

6’6 should not be surprising.

Thanks. I had not heard that. I had always assumed given the origin of "Native Americans" that their stature would tend to be on the short side. Sort of why it would be weird to see a tall, native Mexican.

[VeniVidiVici]

They'll probably find that he has some Norwegian DNA in those bones...

I was hoping they would report that if they found it in the DNA tests.