The native population of America, so far as it is supposed today, are in first line descendants from immigrants from Northeast Asia, mostly indigenous mandschu-tungusian, russian and palaeosiberian tribes that crossed during winter month the frozen Bering-Street to Alaska and then slowly dispersed over the whole american continent - centuries before the first european sailor "officially" set feet on that part of earth in 1492. The knowledge about the siberian-american land-connection probably existed in Europe before, but commercial exploitation and tradeways couldn´t be established on that route due to difficult climate conditions. The native populations of America lived in tight contact and equilibrium with nature.
Following that logic, the initial native population of Tierra del Fuego in 1624 must have been descendents from originally asian indigenous people living in the Amazonian and Sub-Amazonian region that due to a migrational pressure setteled under the rather difficult living conditions on the islands south of Magellhan Strait.
But also in colonial times a massive organized immigration of indigenous asian inhabitants to that region of South America can be supposed. That would indicate, that part of the "native indian population" were not direct descendants from immigrants that migrated over centuries throught the whole American continent and finally setteled at "Land´s End". Many examples are known, for example that ships of the Dutch Eastindia Company loaded thousands of "Hakka-People" from the chinese province Fujian and brought them 1865-1869 to new destinies in Oceania. (Source: Wikipedia /Hakka/The 5 great emigration waves). Another case is the organized disappearance of the Banda Neira population 1600-1800, also attributed to the VOC.
The ethnological descriptions of the known ethno-cultural units are Selk’nam, Yámana, Chonos, Qawasqar (Kawesqar) and Halakwúlup. As "smaller, nomad or half-nomad groups" they live as "hunters and gatherers" in the coastal temperate rainforests and magellan tundra. The ocean was very important as source for nourishment, so the indians where since always experienced canoe-navigators, fishers and hunters.
With the colonial pressure performed by european ship crews and passengers since 1600 also on the most southern part of the continent, by abandoning of ship crew members, setteling around trade posts and interracial relationship foundations the structure and composition of the indigenous tribes probably has changed strongly during the last 400 years.
Following that logic, the initial native population of Tierra del Fuego in 1624 must have been descendents from originally asian indigenous people living in the Amazonian and Sub-Amazonian region that due to a migrational pressure setteled under the rather difficult living conditions on the islands south of Magellhan Strait.
But also in colonial times a massive organized immigration of indigenous asian inhabitants to that region of South America can be supposed. That would indicate, that part of the "native indian population" were not direct descendants from immigrants that migrated over centuries throught the whole American continent and finally setteled at "Land´s End". Many examples are known, for example that ships of the Dutch Eastindia Company loaded thousands of "Hakka-People" from the chinese province Fujian and brought them 1865-1869 to new destinies in Oceania. (Source: Wikipedia /Hakka/The 5 great emigration waves). Another case is the organized disappearance of the Banda Neira population 1600-1800, also attributed to the VOC.
The ethnological descriptions of the known ethno-cultural units are Selk’nam, Yámana, Chonos, Qawasqar (Kawesqar) and Halakwúlup. As "smaller, nomad or half-nomad groups" they live as "hunters and gatherers" in the coastal temperate rainforests and magellan tundra. The ocean was very important as source for nourishment, so the indians where since always experienced canoe-navigators, fishers and hunters.
With the colonial pressure performed by european ship crews and passengers since 1600 also on the most southern part of the continent, by abandoning of ship crew members, setteling around trade posts and interracial relationship foundations the structure and composition of the indigenous tribes probably has changed strongly during the last 400 years.
Indigenous inhabitants of the Magellhan Strait Region (German Book Illustration from around 1880)
Source : Internet
The most popular descriptions of nature and people of "Fireland" come from Fernando Magellhan (1520), Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa (1584), Francis Drake (1696) and the "Beagle Expedition" with Charles Darwin on board (1826-1830 and 1831-1836). Numerous other reports about meetings with natives on Tierra del Fuego exist. Illustrations from these experiences show the typical initial housings and the canoes that transported passengers and fireplace, the latter to maintain the fire always active due to the lack of lighters.
Typical Selknam House (1924)
Probably it is not necessary to repeat here the knowledge based on most cruel reports of religious missionaries that accompanied the colonial campaigns about other reasons of the diminuition of indigenous tribes, but also the direct action of colonial or postcolonial settlers, shipcrews, and troops was reported from "Fireland" that received it´s name because the native canoes and huts had permanently burning fires so that the arising smoke indicated to the explorers, where the natives housed or moved.
Colonial shipcrew burns natives.
Probably painting from B. de las Casas
Source : Religionskritik
The originary native tribes related to the described sites are the Selknam and Yamana (Yaghan, Yahgan, Yaganes, Tequenica) Indians. The Yamana inhabit the islands Navarino and Hoste around the Firth of Nassau and Orange Bay, the Selknam live also on the most northern part of the Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego, where Cape Nassau and Cape Orange are situated, as described upside.
"Fuegians". Members of Yamana or Yaghan people from the Beagle Channel region.
Source : The Daily Beagle 22.2.2013
Elek, Angela Loij and Imshuta, three woman from Selknam people in Tierra del Fuego.
Source : Bantmag
Source : Bantmag
The most popular descriptions of nature and people of "Fireland" come from Fernando Magellhan (1520), Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa (1584), Francis Drake (1696) and the "Beagle Expedition" with Charles Darwin on board (1826-1830 and 1831-1836). Numerous other reports about meetings with natives on Tierra del Fuego exist. Illustrations from these experiences show the typical initial housings and the canoes that transported passengers and fireplace, the latter to maintain the fire always active due to the lack of lighters.
Typical Yamana House (1826/1836)
Fuegians and their Wigwams by Charles Darwin, Journal of Researches 1890
Pa´chiek and his family
Source : flight of the condors - wordpress.com
"Fuegian" Indians in Western Channels
Chile Notes on the natural History of the Strait of Magellhan - The Voyage of H.M.S. Nassau 1866-69
by Robert O. Cunningham
Source: memoriachilena.cl
Tekenika Bai, Hoste Island, Tierra del Fuego
Yahgans in Dugout Canoe 1898
Source : patfotos.org
Young Yahgan Woman
South American Missionary Society 1898
Source : patfotos.org
CID Institute thanks for all expert contributions and comments.
This publication will be actualized, completed and continued when actual important data are presented.
Chile Notes on the natural History of the Strait of Magellhan - The Voyage of H.M.S. Nassau 1866-69
by Robert O. Cunningham
Source: memoriachilena.cl
Yahgans in Dugout Canoe 1898
Source : patfotos.org
South American Missionary Society 1898
Source : patfotos.org
From the obvious fact, that part of the "indigenous natives" on Tierra del Fuego are Asians from China and South East Asia, the step to the question, if the "Nassausche Vloot" - expedition from 1624 contibuted itself already to the population transfer, is not far. Our history books describe, that the fleet left Nassau Bay in February 1624 towards Chile, Peru and Ecuador, where certain leaders remained, and then returned to Holland "where they arrived at Texel about two years later". But is that true ?
One protagonist of the Firth of Nassau exploration, viceadmiral Schapenham, who´s name decorates the Hardy peninsula where probably also the meeting with the Yahgan indians took place in Orange Bay, is mentioned in a destruction of a fortress that took place in 1625 - one year later. Schapenham, coming from Ternate, commanded the raid against a fort and settlement on Motir Island and directed the transfer of the inhabitants to the Islands Makjan and Tabilolo (Source: Contributions to the History of the unknown empires of Asia and Africa Georg August von Breitenbauch 1800). The later presence of the Nassausche Vloot and Schapenham in Ternate confirms also Francois Valentyn in "Description of the old and new East India" in 1724. That could indicate, that the Nassausche Vloot ships on their later return transported indigenous population from the Molukkan Islands towards Cape Horn and surprisingly decided to abandon them there, establishing so the later more often repeated "technique" to "cool" the hot-tempered asian indians by "driving them to the ice-cold areas". A strike, that Asia never returned during the later history (See also: Willem van Brederode - Scheepsjournaal Nassausche Vloot 1623-1626).
In fact, the abandoning of people, that are used to live in Indonesian tropical climate conditions on circumpolar islands with winter snowfall and extreme temperatures until -20 degrees celsius is equivalent to an assassination intent, because the native population of this area was nomad and knew, how and to where to retrieve during winter. From that conclusion follows, that the ethnological study of the nutritional behaviour of the Yahgan Indians during summer month doesn´t consider the fact, that the survival of the following snow period is nearly impossible, what would describe the european ethnoscientifical analysis as somewhat "one-eyed".
The Internet Encyclopedia Wikipedia provides an rather extense overview about the ecology of the Cabo de Hornos - Tierra del Fuego Region. The correspondant encyclopedia pages are linked here.
The Cape Horn Islands (Wollaston and Hermite Islands Archipelago) are nowadays declared as National Park and UNESCO BIOSPHERE RESERVE RESERVA NATURAL CABO DE HORNOS.
The Nassau Bay itself is during summer month travel destination of massive cruising ship and ecological tourism. Starting point generally is the argentine town Usuhaia in Beagle Channel.
The Nassau Bay is surrounded by the Navarino and Hoste Island. Both islands are covered with vegetation of MAGELLANIC SUBPOLAR FORESTS belonging to the phytogeographic Subantarctic-Magellanic District.
Important plant species are (with their spanish names / Source Wikipedia):
Coigüe de Magallanes,
Canelo,
Ciprés enano,
Ciprés de las Guaitecas,
Notro,
Maitén de Magallanes.
Nñirre,
Lenga.
Important animal species are (with their spanish and scientific names):
Gaviotas australes (Larus scoresbii),
Patos vapor del Pacífico (Tachyeres pteneres),
Carancas o caiquenes de mar (Chloephaga hybrida),
Pilpilenes australes (Haematopus leucopodus),
Cormoranes imperiales (Leucocarbo atriceps),
Petreles (Procellariidae),
Lobos marinos de un pelo (Otaria flavescens),
Lobos marinos de dos pelos (Arctocephalus australis).
Southern royal albatross (Diomedea epomophora)
Magellanic penguin (Spheniscus magellanicus), or red peek penguin,
Southern giant petrel (Macronectes giganteus),
Kelp gull or Dominican gull (Larus dominicanus),
Red-legged cormorant (Phalacrocorax gaimardi),
also known as the red-legged shag, red-footed cormorant, red-footed shag, Gaimard’s cormorant or grey cormorant,
Marine otter (Lontra felina, known locally as chungungo),
Leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx),
Chilean dolphin (Cephalorhynchus eutropia, also known as the black dolphin or tonina),
Burmeister's porpoise (Phocoena spinipinnis),
Peale's dolphin (Lagenorhynchus australis)
Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae).
The new colonists of Fireland are not longer exiled Asians.
Illustration from contemporary painted dreamstory KAP HORN / Edition Zack
Source : ntv
In fact, the abandoning of people, that are used to live in Indonesian tropical climate conditions on circumpolar islands with winter snowfall and extreme temperatures until -20 degrees celsius is equivalent to an assassination intent, because the native population of this area was nomad and knew, how and to where to retrieve during winter. From that conclusion follows, that the ethnological study of the nutritional behaviour of the Yahgan Indians during summer month doesn´t consider the fact, that the survival of the following snow period is nearly impossible, what would describe the european ethnoscientifical analysis as somewhat "one-eyed".
THE NATURE
The Internet Encyclopedia Wikipedia provides an rather extense overview about the ecology of the Cabo de Hornos - Tierra del Fuego Region. The correspondant encyclopedia pages are linked here.
The Cape Horn Islands (Wollaston and Hermite Islands Archipelago) are nowadays declared as National Park and UNESCO BIOSPHERE RESERVE RESERVA NATURAL CABO DE HORNOS.
The Nassau Bay itself is during summer month travel destination of massive cruising ship and ecological tourism. Starting point generally is the argentine town Usuhaia in Beagle Channel.
The Nassau Bay is surrounded by the Navarino and Hoste Island. Both islands are covered with vegetation of MAGELLANIC SUBPOLAR FORESTS belonging to the phytogeographic Subantarctic-Magellanic District.
Important plant species are (with their spanish names / Source Wikipedia):
Coigüe de Magallanes,
Canelo,
Ciprés enano,
Ciprés de las Guaitecas,
Notro,
Maitén de Magallanes.
Nñirre,
Lenga.
Important animal species are (with their spanish and scientific names):
Gaviotas australes (Larus scoresbii),
Patos vapor del Pacífico (Tachyeres pteneres),
Carancas o caiquenes de mar (Chloephaga hybrida),
Pilpilenes australes (Haematopus leucopodus),
Cormoranes imperiales (Leucocarbo atriceps),
Petreles (Procellariidae),
Lobos marinos de un pelo (Otaria flavescens),
Lobos marinos de dos pelos (Arctocephalus australis).
Southern royal albatross (Diomedea epomophora)
Magellanic penguin (Spheniscus magellanicus), or red peek penguin,
Southern giant petrel (Macronectes giganteus),
Kelp gull or Dominican gull (Larus dominicanus),
Red-legged cormorant (Phalacrocorax gaimardi),
also known as the red-legged shag, red-footed cormorant, red-footed shag, Gaimard’s cormorant or grey cormorant,
Marine otter (Lontra felina, known locally as chungungo),
Leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx),
Chilean dolphin (Cephalorhynchus eutropia, also known as the black dolphin or tonina),
Burmeister's porpoise (Phocoena spinipinnis),
Peale's dolphin (Lagenorhynchus australis)
Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae).
CID Institute thanks for all expert contributions and comments.
This publication will be actualized, completed and continued when actual important data are presented.
Now continue to
1st Publication Chapter - Cartographical and Naval History
3rd Publication Chapter - Masthead
Diplomated Biologist Peter Zanger
29th January 2016
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