My people lived here for many years before settlers came to our land. We spoke a language called Algonkian. We were hunters and gatherers moving all over the island.

The main source of our diet was salmon which we speared in the river and caribou which we used for both food and clothing. We also hunted whales from the ocean.

We mainly moved with the caribou herds and along the riverbanks wherever the best supplies of food could be found.

Eventually Europeans settled onto the island. At first the Europeans only came at certain times of the year to fish leaving behind wonderful trinkets we had never seen before.

We shaped these tools to serve as tools and jewelry. Soon the Europeans settled permanently. We traded furs for metals, which we used to improve our arrows, spears and knives.

With the settlement of the Europeans came increased competition for fishing and hunting areas. New diseases took their toll on our people.

Soon there were too many people for us to compete with. Our people started dying off from starvation and diseases that were introduced by the settlers and by direct confrontation with the Micmac.

Soon the Beothuk became a small band of refugees on the run from the Micmac. I was one of the last of my people.

Today the proud history of the Beothucks is being kept alive by the Micmac, historians, the media and archeologists trying to learn more of the Beothucks by studying and recording artifacts. The Beothuck will also be alive in our hearts and our imaginations.