Beothuk

/ bɪˈɒθʊk /

noun

1. a member of an extinct Native Canadian people formerly living in Newfoundland

Example Sentences

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.

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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.

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

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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.

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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.

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