Озеро Беотук , ранее называвшееся Красным Индийским озером , расположено в центральной части Ньюфаундленда в провинции Ньюфаундленд и Лабрадор , Канада . Озеро впадает в реку Эксплойтс, которая протекает через внутренние районы Ньюфаундленда и впадает в Атлантический океан через залив Эксплойтс . В озеро впадают реки Ллойдс , реки Виктория и Стар-Ривер.
Беотуки жили в нескольких стоянках на берегу озера. Экспедиция Джона Картрайта и его брата Джорджа Картрайта вглубь страны в поисках Беотука обнаружила только заброшенные стоянки. Во время открытия озера они назвали его Лейтенантским озером.
В январе 1811 года экспедиция под руководством Дэвида Бьюкена отправилась вверх по реке Эксплоитс в попытке установить дружеские отношения с беотуками; Бьюкен нашел их, но встреча прошла неудачно и привела к гибели двух морских пехотинцев. Джон Пейтон-младший возглавил еще одну экспедицию к озеру в 1819 году, которая также закончилась трагедией; Результатом экспедиции стала гибель вождя Беотука Ноносабасута и захват Демасдуита . [1]
Предыдущая экспедиция Картрайта была первой в серии попыток официальных лиц конца 1700-х - начала 1800-х годов установить дружеские контакты с народом беотук. [2] В этот период из уважения к беотуку озеро было переименовано в Красное Индийское озеро от термина «красные индейцы», который европейские поселенцы использовали для обозначения беотука; этот термин возник из-за практики беотуков наносить краску красной охры на свои тела и имущество. [3]
21 апреля 2021 года министр по делам коренных народов провинции Лиза Демпстер внесла предложение в Палату собрания и объявила, что правительство Ньюфаундленда и Лабрадора изменит название озера на «Вантакоти-Коспем», что означает «мирное озеро». на языке микмак . [4]
Freedom of Information requests made by the Canadian Press later revealed that the Deputy Minister of Indigenous Affairs wrote to the Miawpukek first nation (located on the south coast of Newfoundland) on April 15 seeking a new name for Red Indian Lake and that in less than a week Chief Mi'sel Joe of Miawpukek First Nation had made the suggestion that was included in the motion. The same request revealed that when writing to Miawukek First Nation, the Deputy Minister stated that Premier Andrew Furey "would like to get moving on this ASAP."[5]
However, following petitions, protest and more than 170 pages of emails expressing objections and concern over a lack of consultation,[6] particularly with residents of local communities in the vicinity of the lake (including members of the Qalipu first nation), the provincial government announced it was pausing the renaming plans and would be opening a consultation process on the name.[7] Concerns were also raised about whether a Mi'kmaq name would be appropriate for a lake in traditional Beothuk territory.[8] Arguments against any change to the lake's name included reference to Canada's geographical naming protocols, which prioritize the views of those people who live closest to the geographical feature to be renamed.[9] Objectors also cited indigenous language guides that allow for historical and legacy names, terms and references.[10] No report on the results of the provincial government consultation was ever published or shared publicly.
In October 2021, the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly introduced legislation to officially rename the lake as "Beothuk Lake".[11] The legislation was passed on November 4, 2021.[12]
The interior of Newfoundland became accessible on the completion of the Newfoundland Railway, and the forest surrounding the lake attracted attention. The lake was surveyed in 1899 by Alex McCombie and by 1901 Lewis Miller had set up a logging operation on the shore near the site of Demasduit's capture. A railway branch line to the town of Millertown was constructed, and in 1905 the Anglo-Newfoundland Development (AND) Company acquired a 99-year lease on timber and mineral rights for the land surrounding the lake.[13]
Prospector, Guide and Trapper Matty Mitchell is credited with discovering a large high grade base metal deposit on the banks of the Buchans River on the north side of the lake. He was working for the AND Company at the time. ANDco mined bulk samples seasonally at the sit from 1906 to 1911. Metallurgical methods would have to improve in order to be able to mine and process the deposit. Improved processes were discovered in 1925. Further exploration in 1926 led to more discoveries and a partnership between the mineral rights holding ANDco and the American Smelting and Refining Company (Asarco). Mining operations commenced in 1927 as did the construction of the town of Buchans.
The Explots River was dammed in the early 1900s, initially in support of the Millertown logging operation. In 1909, a pulp and paper mill was constructed at Grand Falls, further downstream on the Exploits River. A new larger dam was constructed at the outflow of the lake, creating a vast storage reservoir for a hydroelectric generating plant at the mill in Grand Falls. Exploits dam was enhanced or reconstructed multiple times in the period from 1912 to 1926.