Genetic evidence raises questions about settler-Indigenous relations in New France

Genetic evidence raises questions about settler-Indigenous relations in New France Gaby Clark Scientific Editor Robert Egan Senior Editor A Université de Montréal–led research team has analyzed the genetic origins of human remains found in Old Montreal—and uncovered unexpected results. "Some historical accounts suggest that during the colonial period, there was considerable mixing between the settlers and Indigenous peoples," said Isabelle Ribot, a bioarchaeologist and professor in UdeM's Department of Anthropology. "We hoped to demonstrate this by analyzing colonial cemeteries." In her career, Ribot initially focused her research on southern Africa, but for more than 15 years she has been supervising student projects in Quebec's St. Lawrence Valley. Her former doctoral student Diane Martin-Moya, now an adjunct professor at the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR), analyzed the DNA of 45 individuals from Montreal's Notre-Dame Cemetery, a burial ground dating back to New France. Martin-Moya continued the research during a postdoctoral fellowship, and the findings have now been published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. "This is the first time ancient DNA has been sequenced in Quebec," Martin-Moya said. "It took a lot of coordination." The project was carried out in collaboration with the TRACES laboratory at UQTR, the Montreal Heart Institute and McGill University. Reading human remains Notre-Dame Cemetery was the burial ground of Notre-Dame parish, where Notre-Dame Basilica now stands. It was in use from 1683 to 1796. Excavations carried out from the 1990s to 2013 during renovation of the square in front of the basilica unearthed the remains of about 200 individuals, which the City of Montreal loaned to Université de Montréal. Analyses of dental morphology, isotopic composition and other characteristics were performed on the remains. "We thought it would be interesting to go further and use the DNA to assess the biological diversity of the individuals," Ribot said. The team sampled 60 skull bones and 33 associated teeth from a total of 45 individuals. "We used the cochlea, which is extracted from the temporal bone, because it's the part least exposed to the environment and therefore least likely to be contaminated," Martin-Moya explained. "We also used the teeth for ethical reasons, since this avoids the need to make incisions in the skull." The samples are ground into powder and the DNA is extracted. The DNA sequences are then reconstructed, using bioinformatics to fill in the gaps between the collected fragments. Finally, the data are analyzed statistically and compared with global population databases to identify markers linked to geographic regions. What genomes show—and don't show The analyzed remains turned out to be consistent with 100% European ancestry, mostly French. "At the subsampling level, at least, there is no evidence of settler-Indigenous admixture," said Martin-Moya. Her preliminary 3D morphological analysis had pointed to the same conclusion. "That doesn't mean the same would be true in other cemeteries, such as the cemetery for the poor, which dates from the same period," she noted, "but in Notre-Dame Cemetery, which was the main one at the time, that is not the case." The research team is not planning to expand the study to other cemeteries. Archaeological data do confirm that there were Indigenous people buried in the Pointe-à-Callière cemetery, the first established by the settlers. However, this doesn't necessarily indicate harmony between the two peoples. "Even if we find (the remains of) Indigenous people in cemeteries, the question remains: What was their place in society?" said Martin-Moya. "The missionaries tended to marginalize Indigenous peoples," Ribot added. The findings support the doubts expressed by Indigenous and non-Indigenous researchers about the narrative of admixture and harmonious relations between the French and First Nations. Destroying to study The study also highlights a disparity in the treatment of rich and poor: the remains of wealthier people were better cared for and preserved. "Poorer families did not have the means to move their dead when the cemetery was destroyed by urbanization," said Martin-Moya, who sees this as a reflection of class struggle. This research raises important ethical questions. The researchers believe that archaeologists must reexamine some of their practices. Currently, human remains are exhumed and partially destroyed during analysis. "Is the way we work with human remains appropriate?" Martin-Moya asked. "As archaeologists, can we do better—develop better methods that respect Indigenous traditions?" Possibilities include analysis of dental calculus and the soil surrounding the remains. Identity beyond blood Contemporary Indigenous identity is rooted in more than distant ancestors. "Western genealogical principles are based on blood," Martin-Moya observed. "But for Indigenous communities, identity is also tied to the land and to one's relationship with the culture and the community. It is not transmitted solely through blood." In the context of current controversies about Indigenous identity and appropriation, researchers sometimes find themselves caught up in the debate, whether they wish to be or not. "There is still much work to be done on the ethical front," Martin-Moya said. "We need to think about what we're looking for, and how our work could be weaponized." Publication details Diane Martin-Moya et al., Ancient DNA challenges to admixture narratives: Insights from Notre-Dame Cemetery (1683–1796) in Colonial Montreal, Canada, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2026). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2523026123 Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Provided by University of Montreal