Archaeologists find "impossible" evidence that reveals a lost part of the past
When a group of North American natives approached the scientific community with claims contrary to their professional consensus, researchers were quick to dismiss them. However, these scholars knew that everything they thought they knew about a particular chapter in history was a complete lie.
Heiltsuk culture
The Heiltsuk people, the indigenous First Nation of the Great Bear Rainforest of British Columbia, have claimed remote Triquet Island for nearly 5,000 years. But archaeologists have rejected his property claim for an obvious reason ...
History of the Ice Age
The continental glacier that formed over Canada during the last Ice Age would have also covered Triquet Island, making it uninhabitable. But even with the facts against the Heiltsuk, a small group of investigators took it upon themselves to uncover the truth once and for all.
Digging Triquet
Archaeologists began an extensive excavation of the remote island in hopes of discovering traces of a bygone civilization. What they found there not only shocked the entire archaeological community, it also changed history forever.
An old house
Under several layers of earth, they found remains of an old firewood hearth. But how could this be? According to the researchers, it would have been impossible for humans to cut their way through glacial ice to reach the ground.
Buried objects
As they continued digging, the researchers unearthed more objects, including tools and weapons. This discovery puzzled the team, as the Heiltsuk people traditionally did not use such tools.
Fishing Civilization
The Heiltsuk people had obtained their food source from fishing and smoking salmon, using small, precise tools to fish. The tools and weapons found were much larger and would likely have been used to hunt large marine mammals, such as seals, sea lions, and walruses.
Obsidian Shards
In addition, the team also discovered fragments of obsidian, a glass-shaped rock that is only found in areas of intense volcanic activity. This discovery also puzzled archaeologists, as there were no known volcanoes near that part of British Columbia. So how did this rock and these people get there?
Travel across the land bridge
Historians deduced that whoever left these objects must have crossed the land bridge that existed between Siberia and Alaska during prehistory. However, the researchers still needed solid facts ...
Amazing results
Fortunately, a closer inspection of the home revealed ancient charcoal remains, which archaeologists quickly took to the lab for carbon dating. When they received the results, the researchers couldn't believe what they saw: all they knew was a lie.
Tens of thousands of years
According to the carbon dating report, these chunks of coal were a staggering 14,000 years old, making them the oldest carbon remnants ever discovered in North America.
Old coal
Even by world standards, this was an extraordinary find. After all, these simple pieces of coal were older than the Great Pyramid of Giza and even predated the invention of the wheel. But that is not the most remarkable fact of this discovery.
Redefining history
The 14,000-year-old discovery placed the first Heiltsuk on Triquet Island 2,000 years before the end of the Ice Age. Therefore, the island could not have been covered by the huge continental glacier. And that's not all.
Boat technology
Since the island of Triquet was surrounded by water on all sides, the early Heiltsuk would have used boats to traverse the open waters. However, ships were not believed to have been invented until centuries later.
First encounters
This meant that the Heiltsuk settled in the area 2,000 years earlier than was initially believed. If this was the case, then these early men likely crossed paths with some of the most formidable beasts in history.
Contact with now extinct animals
As the Heiltsuk people headed south from the land bridge, they probably had to fend off giant creatures like mastodons, woolly mammoths, and giant sloths. But somehow, these humans survived, and it's probably for a crucial reason.
A natural barrier
Thanks to the Pacific Ocean, the sea level on the island of Triquet remained constant for more than 15,000 years. So, as the sea gradually eroded the surrounding islands, the great beasts of the Pacific Northwest were held in check, leaving the Heiltsuk with a peaceful and isolated existence.
Oral tradition
The most astonishing discovery to come to light is the fact that the Heiltsuk people were able to preserve their history orally for almost 14,000 years. However, they are still deprived of the legitimacy of their history.
The tribe speaks
When the media got wind of the story, they seemed to focus more on what the discovery meant to the scientific community rather than acknowledge Heiltsuk's rich history. For many, the media portrayal of the nation was considered highly disrespectful.
Changing the conversation
As a result, Victoria University student Alisha Gauvreau, who was present during the excavation, has dedicated herself to changing the focus of the dialogue towards the Heiltsuk people.
Canadian history
Heiltsuk's claim to Triquet Island stands as one of the oldest land ownership claims in the world. Time will tell how this disagreement evolves over time, but it's actually not the weirdest land dispute Canada has faced. One did not involve an anti-government tribe, but a single man.
Seal Island Machias
You have most likely never heard of Foca Machias Island. Situated between the Gulf of Maine in the US and the Bay of Fundy in Canada, this small landmass has been the subject of controversy. Both the US and Canada have claimed it, but a local fisherman named Barna Norton took that debate to a new level when he recently approached the courts with an astonishing claim.
Sailing to Machias
Barna's connection to Focas Machias Island began in 1940 when he was only 25 years old. He set sail from his hometown of Jonesport, Maine, and traveled 20 nautical miles to reach the rocky island. This was the beginning of countless trips from shore to shore, but he could never have foreseen how much this island would mean to him.
Bird sight
That summer, Barna invited his father and some tourists to join him for bird watching and a picnic on Foca Machias Island. Puffins, razor clams, guillemots, and arctic terns flock to the little spot to rest and nest, making it a perfect draw for avid bird watchers.
A long connection
That summer sailing expedition was the first of many that Barna undertook. For 60 years, he used to take many visitors and locals to tour and picnic on the island and during those many trips he had become quite fond of the area.
Where is?
Barna is not the only one interested in Foca Machias Island, both the United States and Canada demand it. Canada even built a lighthouse there to give its property more credit. However, evidence of US ownership dates back to the 18th century. It's a rare sensitive issue between the two allies.
It's ours
Norton knows the island's history well. When the Treaty of Paris was signed in 1783, the document granted the United States "all islands within twenty leagues of any part of the shores of the United States," in addition to those that Nova Scotia had already claimed. But it's not that simple.
We claim it
The United States is not alone in having documented proof of ownership. Canada has a 1621 land grant that reads all "islands ... within six leagues from anywhere" off the coast of Nova Scotia. The island of Foca Machias is within that range just three leagues off the coast of Grand Manan. Still, Canadians weren't the first to arrive.
Do not forget them
Before Canada or the United States existed, the Passamaquoddy nation was using the island for themselves. Machias is a Passamaquoddy term that translates to "bad little falls". It is a bit ironic that the other plaintiffs ignored this.
In neutral
The United States and Canada have tried to resolve the island dispute on several occasions, but have yet to reach a solution. In the talks that took place in 1817, 1832, and 1944, neither country relented. Each is stubbornly determined to uphold his claim.
Lighthouse and Sanctuary
Meanwhile, Canada has built a lighthouse and bird sanctuary on Foca Machias Island. Kelly Craft, a former US ambassador to Canada, recently tried to end this long-standing argument, but got nowhere.
Nobody cares
"We maintain our position that this is sovereign territory of the United States," Kelly said. But "essentially, nobody in Washington cares." She "couldn't get anyone in Washington interested," no matter how much she advocated for a solution. However, both governments were dismayed that another, much smaller party, would make a claim.
She will do it
Barna himself said he owned the island, according to Holly Davis. She was the partner of John Norton, Barna's son, and gave birth to Barna's only grandson. Although the others have grown weary of fighting over the island, Holly has tirelessly shared the story behind Barna's claims.
Tall barney
Barna had a famous ancestor, well known in the area, named Tall Barney. He was known to be "the giant lobster" by the other residents of Jonesport. There are many legends about this almost larger than life person, but Barna often told "one of the most important stories."
Fleeing from war
When the government was recruiting soldiers for the Civil War, Tall Barney had no interest in participating. "He was a little boy," Holly said. He thought that hiding in the sea was the best way to avoid going to war. Finally, he landed on Foca Machias Island.
Fight the Canadians
Tall Barney's beliefs were part of the reason why he didn't want to fight. However, he was not afraid to defend himself. When Canadians invaded his island sanctuary "he physically threw some of them off the island," said Historical Society president Bill Plaskon. That incident prompted him to make an unprecedented claim.
Passing the land
Once the island was safe from the invaders, Tall Barney made a proclamation: the first male heir to the lobster would have rights to the land of Foca Machias Island. That person turned out to be Barna, who was born on June 9, 1915. But how would that property be legitimate?
Ignore Canada
Well, when Barna sent a letter to the government about Tall Barney's story, they informed him that "Foca Machias Island is part of the United States" and said: "You have every right to ignore any regulations that Canada seeks to establish." . Naturally, not everyone was delighted with the American performance.
Conflicts arose
Barna kept this letter in a plastic folder for storage and carried it with him until his death. Still, Barna's had several conflicts with the Canadian government over the island. In June 1984, a Canadian helicopter landed there in the middle of one of the Barna Aviary tours.
Oops
The two troopers and a Canadian Wildlife Service official who landed warned Barna: "They were there to enforce Canadian laws against each and every visitor, including Americans," the Associated Press reported . Ironically, they killed two Arctic Terns as they flew away.
Helicopter incident and the future
Canada received bad press for the helicopter incident, but was not deterred. After Barna's death, his son John took over the tours, until his death years later. Then it became Holly's responsibility. Unfortunately, he had to stop touring, but he's still not giving up on the island.
Defender of the island Foca Machias
Barna's long fight for Foca Machias Island was commemorated on his pink granite headstone, which reads "BARNA, DEFENDER OF FOCA MACHIAS ISLAND, USA." Although the island is still in dispute, the efforts of Barna and his family helped draw attention to the location.
No comments: