skrælings

Skrælings is a term historically used by Norse settlers in Greenland and Vinland to refer to the indigenous peoples they encountered. The exact origin of the word is debated, but it is generally believed to derive from Old Norse words that may have conveyed meanings such as "wretches," "screechers," or "strangers." The term was primarily used in the sagas, such as the Saga of Erik the Red and the Saga of the Greenlanders, which chronicle the Norse explorations and attempts at settlement in North America around the 11th century.

The Skrælings encountered by the Norse were most likely ancestors of modern indigenous groups in the region, including the Inuit and the Beothuk or other Maritime Archaic peoples. These encounters were varied, ranging from trade and occasional curiosity to outright conflict. The sagas describe skirmishes between the Norse and the Skrælings, indicating a complex and often tense relationship. The presence of these indigenous populations ultimately played a role in the challenges faced by the Norse settlements, contributing to their eventual decline and abandonment. The term "Skrælings" is now considered pejorative and is not used by indigenous peoples themselves. Modern scholarship prefers to refer to these groups by their own names or more neutral anthropological terms.