Beothuk

For centuries, the Beothuk had thrived along the rocky shores of the island, taking on a near-mythical status as descendants of the first people encountered by Norse explorers in what is now Canada.

Historians believe the Beothuk are descended from a group that braved the ocean to cross from Labrador to Newfoundland thousands of years ago and whose distinct culture emerged around 1500 CE.

At one point, as many as 2,000 Beothuk lived in communities scattered around Newfoundland.

Early European settlements on the coast cut off Beothuk access to critical salmon and seals – forcing them to move further inland where they sustained themselves on caribou before finally succumbing to starvation and disease.

The findings also illustrate the way in which genetic uniqueness – in this case the distinct sequence of Beothuk mitochondrial genomes – can persist intact for generations.