THE RED OCHRE PEOPLE
The Beothuck Indians lived on the island of Newfoundland for hundreds of years. They were tall, strong people with dark eyes. Their black hair was partially braided at the back of their head and decorated with feathers. They dressed in animal hides and hunted with bows and arrows. They covered their clothes, weapons and bodies with a mixture of red ochre and oil. This protected them from insects in summer and the cold in winter. The Beothuck believed the ochre had life-giving power.
The Beothuck were not the first Natives to inhabit Newfoundland. No one knows when these people came to the island. It is believed that in the beginning they moved between Newfoundland and Labrador by crossing the Strait of Belle Isle.
By 200AD, the Beothuck had established themselves in Newfoundland and no longer moved off the island. Though they were part of the Algonquin family of tribes, they developed their own culture and traditions.
Newfoundland was abundant in wild game and fish. It was suited to support the Beothuck, as they were hunters. Caribou gazed on the lichen of the barrens while wolf, bear, lynx, beaver and other small mammals lived in the forests that stretched from one coast of Newfoundland to the other.
Hundreds of inland streams and ponds teemed with salmon and trout. Seabirds were plentiful and in spring, seals and whales could be found close to shore. The ocean provided a large variety of fish and other seafood.
Newfoundland summers are warm but very short. The winters are long and cold. Harsh winds blow inland from the sea. The Beothuck knew how to adapt to the extreme weather conditions of the island.
In 1610, John Guy founded the first recorded settlement on the island. He became friendly with the Beothuck and began to trade with them. He wanted animal furs and gave the Beothuck clothes, tools, scissors and needles in exchange. He indicated to the Natives by sign language that they should return the following year, which they did. Another ship arrived and the captain, seeing so many Natives assembled, believed they were hostile. He ordered the ship’s cannon to be fired into the crowd. This ended peaceful trade with the Beothuck.
In the 1700’s, white settlers began to inhabit the island. They built villages in sheltered bays and inlets that were the summer homes of the Beothuck. This forced the Indians to move to remote regions of the island.
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