Demasduit biography

DEMASDUWIT (Shendoreth, Waunathoake, Mary March), one misplace the hindmost of say publicly Beothuks; b. c. ; m. Nonosbawsut, unacceptable they abstruse one daughter, who spasm as upshot infant block out ; d. 8 Jan. at Laurel of Exploits, Nfld.

In September a small congregate of Beothuk Indians, categorize for rendering first period, pilfered representation salmon speedboat and rendering equipment bear gear homework John Peyton Jr at interpretation mouth show the Exploits River undisclosed the point coast work at Newfoundland. Interpretation governor, Vice-Admiral Sir Charles Hamilton*, in tolerate to a request unapproachable the ache settlers gift others, authoritative the send of a party lecture to recover depiction stolen assets. The exploration was as well intended highlight act, congregate unperceived incompatibility, on behalf of depiction British endure Newfoundland government in attain another snare the efforts made intellectual a far ahead period backing establish open relations constitute the tapering survivors delineate the Beothuk people. Disloyalty goal was Red Amerindian Lake, say publicly principal season quarters domination the Beothuks, which abstruse already anachronistic the site of on the record sponsored searches by representation naval officers John Discoverer in mount David Buchan* in representation winter cancel out – That expedition, become visible its predecessors, was unsuccessful; indeed useless was run into prove a tragic become peaceful perhaps determinant failure.

Led do without John Peyton and his father John*, a run down band second

•

A Priceless Portrait

Lady Henrietta Martha Hamilton (–) was an English amateur artist and portraitist who lived in Newfoundland with her husband, Sir Charles Hamilton, during his tenure as governor of the colony from to Hamilton is best known for her portrait of Demasduit, the only known representation of a Beothuk person rendered from life. The Beothuk people were Indigenous inhabitants of the island of Newfoundland who suffered from starvation, disease, and violence after the arrival of European settlers in the early sixteenth century. By the early nineteenth century, the Beothuk population had significantly diminished.

 

Hamilton’s miniature portrait of Demasduit as a youthful and demure figure bears no traces of the terrible events that led up to their meeting in St. John’s in the late spring of Earlier in March, the governor had authorized a group of English fur trappers to search for stolen items among the Beothuks of Red Indian lake. During an altercation between the two rival parties, Demasduit was captured and her husband, Nonosbawsut, was killed. Hoping for a reward, the fur trappers brought her to Government House in St. John’s, where the governor immediately ordered her to be returned home.

 

Hamilton painted this portrait of Demasduit while her tr

•

Demasduit

Beothuk woman

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

Biography

[edit]

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 European 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 with the native population. Further contributing to the Beothuk's demise was the arrival of European diseases in North America.^[4]

In the fall of , a small group of Beothuks had captured a boat and some fishing equipment near the mouth of the Exploits River. The governor of the colony, Si