Government Seeks Expressions of Interest on Creation of Beothuk Statue

The Provincial Government is seeking Expressions of Interest for the design, construction and installation of a statue commemorating the Beothuk.

Minister Responsible for Indigenous Affairs and Reconciliation Lisa Dempster made the announcement on Friday.

The Expression of Interest seeks submissions from persons who demonstrate the ability to design, construct and install a statue that depicts three Beothuk individuals, based on a conceptual drawing. The statue will be constructed of weather-resistant material and suitable for permanent outdoor installation at a location to be determined at a later date.

Proponents are asked to design a statue of a sufficient size and scale so it is visually prominent in a public venue, while also providing for private contemplation.

Submissions will be accepted until 4:30 p.m. on Friday, July 16, 2021. Details can be found at https://www.merx.com/govnl.

The Beothuk were a group of indigenous people who lived on the island of Newfoundland. The extinction of the Beothuk has been called genocide for many reasons, but primarily because of the egregiousness of the settlers' practice of hunting Beothuk for sport.