JoeBloggs on Nostr: 05 Title: Native American Barter Was Not Just for Themselves, but for the Animals, ...

05 Title: Native American Barter Was Not Just for Themselves, but for the Animals, Plants, and Environment Too


Introduction


Long before the advent of modern currency systems, Native American societies (upto 15th Century see #1 below) employed various mediums of exchange to facilitate trade, particularly through barter. These exchanges were deeply rooted in the natural environment, with most trade goods emerging from the food chain items such as animal products, plants, and natural materials.

More than a mere economic system, the barter practices of Native Americans were inherently connected to their spiritual beliefs, which emphasised harmony with nature and respect for the animal and plant life around them.

To accumulate beyond what was naturally provided by the environment was not only impractical but also seen as a violation of the spiritual balance that governed their relationship with the earth.

Although economic theorists like Nick Szabo, in his seminal work Shelling Out: The Origins of Money, approached the origins of money through the lens of scarcity, durability, and efficiency, Szabo ultimately fails to recognise a critical aspect of early barter economies: the role of human empathy and the spiritual connection to the natural world that underpinned Native American exchanges.

#1 The process of attacking and displacing Native Americans, which ultimately disrupted their barter trading systems and traditional way of life, began with the arrival of European colonisers in the 15th and 16th centuries. However, the systematic effort by the United States government to forcibly remove Native Americans from their lands and end their traditional ways of life, including their barter trading systems, intensified significantly during the 19th century. I write this with much sadness, as they warned us of the the consequences of destroying and not enjoying their way of life.

This note explores the mediums of exchange used by Native Americans, demonstrating how these items emerged from the food chain and embodied a deeper empathetic relationship between humans, nature, and the environment.



Mediums of Exchange Used by Native Americans


Native Americans utilised a variety of items as mediums of exchange, many of which came directly from the food chain or natural environment. These items were not only practical but also held spiritual significance, connecting the traders to their environment and to the animals and plants that sustained them. Some of the key items used in Native American trade include:


Animal Products:

Furs and Skins (e.g., beaver, deer, bison): Used for clothing and shelter, these were highly valued trade goods.

Meat and Dried Fish: Preserved foodstuffs such as dried bison meat or salmon were traded, particularly during times of scarcity.

Bones and Antlers: Used to craft tools, weapons, and ornaments.

Feathers: Especially from birds such as eagles, these had cultural and ceremonial value.

Shells (e.g., wampum): Shells, particularly along the Eastern Seaboard, were used as currency and for ceremonial purposes.


Stone Tools and Minerals:

Obsidian and Flint: These were traded across vast distances and used for making tools and weapons.

Pipestone (Catlinite): A soft, reddish stone used to create ceremonial pipes, reflecting spiritual significance in trade.

Turquoise: Valued for its beauty and spiritual importance in the Southwest.
Plant Products:

Corn, Beans, and Squash: Often referred to as the “Three Sisters,” these staple crops were traded between tribes in different ecological regions.

Tobacco: A sacred plant, used in rituals and ceremonies, but also traded as a commodity.

Medicinal Herbs and Plants: Plants used for healing were traded across tribes, with knowledge and resources exchanged alongside the items themselves.


Crafted Goods:

Pottery: Practical and decorative, pottery was traded for its utility in cooking and storing food.

Beadwork and Decorative Items: Items crafted from shells, stones, and bones were exchanged for their cultural and decorative value.


Marine Products:

Dried Fish and Shellfish: Coastal tribes engaged in trade with inland tribes, exchanging marine products for other goods.

Fishing Nets and Hooks: These tools were critical for subsistence and were exchanged between tribes along waterways.


Shelter Materials:

Animal Hides: Used for tents, clothing, and bedding, these were critical items in trade.

Wood and Reeds: Used for constructing homes and making baskets, these materials were exchanged based on the ecological resources available to each tribe.


Spiritual and Ceremonial Items:

Spiritual Charms: Carved items, totems, and other spiritually significant objects were often exchanged between tribes as part of ceremonial trade.



Barter, the Food Chain, and Empathy for Nature


The mediums of exchange used by Native Americans largely derived from the food chain—a fact that profoundly influenced the way they approached trade. These exchanges were not merely transactional; they were rooted in a deep empathy for the natural environment and an understanding of the delicate balance that must be maintained between humans, animals, and plants. To take more than what was needed from nature was to invite disaster, both in the form of food shortages and in spiritual disharmony.

1. The Food Chain as the Foundation of Exchange

The items exchanged by Native Americans were often perishable or connected to the natural cycle of life. For example, animal hides and meat could only be sustainably sourced from healthy animal populations. Overhunting would not only deplete these resources but would also violate the sacred relationship between humans and the animal spirits.

This deep respect for the environment ensured that barter was conducted in a way that maintained balance, rather than exploited nature. Accumulation for its own sake was discouraged, as it threatened both the material resources and the spiritual equilibrium of the tribe.

2. Spiritual Beliefs and the Barter System

For Native Americans, spiritual beliefs played an integral role in the barter system. Many tribes adhered to animistic beliefs, viewing animals and plants as having spiritual essence. For example, the Plains tribes saw the bison as a sacred animal, central not only to their economy but also to their cosmology.

To barter bison products was to engage in a transaction that respected the spirit of the bison, ensuring that the animal’s sacrifice served the needs of the entire community. Wasting or over-exploiting these resources was viewed not only as impractical but also as a spiritual transgression.

This sense of spiritual responsibility extended to all areas of life. The gathering of plants for medicinal or ceremonial purposes was conducted with respect for the plants' spirits.

Barter exchanges of tobacco, for instance, were laden with spiritual significance, as this plant was considered sacred and essential for maintaining a relationship with the spirit world.

Through this lens, we see that the exchange of goods was not just an economic transaction but a moral act, driven by empathy for the plants, animals, and environment that sustained the community.

3. Human Empathy in Environmental Exchange

The barter system among Native Americans was underpinned by a strong sense of empathy for the natural world and for the community's needs. Empathy was not limited to human interactions; it extended to the animals and plants that were part of the ecosystem.

The interconnectedness of all living beings meant that barter had to be conducted with restraint and understanding. If a hunter took too many animals or a gatherer collected too many plants, the ecosystem would suffer, and the entire community would face shortages. This empathy-driven approach to barter ensured that trade was sustainable and that resources were shared equitably.



Nick Szabo and the Missed Recognition of Empathy in Exchange


In his influential article Shelling Out: The Origins of Money, Nick Szabo examines the transition from barter to money, emphasising the role of durable goods such as shells, beads, and metals in facilitating trade. Szabo discusses the importance of scarcity, durability, and the difficulty of counterfeiting as factors that made these goods effective mediums of exchange.

However, Szabo ultimately fails to recognise the empathetic and spiritual dimensions that underpinned early Native American barter systems.

Szabo’s analysis, rooted in Austrian economic theory, focuses on efficiency and material scarcity while neglecting the cultural and spiritual significance of trade items. By doing so, Szabo overlooks the fact that barter among Native Americans was not simply a way to overcome the limitations of the coincidence of wants, but a practice deeply tied to the empathy felt for the natural environment and the animals and plants that formed the foundation of their economy.

The Native American barter system was about more than just trading goods; it was about maintaining balance and harmony within the ecosystem, something that Szabo does not address.



Conclusion

The barter system of Native Americans, rooted in items from the food chain, was an inherently empathetic practice that reflected not only concern for human needs but also for the animals, plants, and environment that sustained them.

This balance between human trade and natural preservation was maintained through spiritual beliefs that emphasised respect and reciprocity with nature. To over-accumulate or exploit these resources was not only impractical but also a violation of their spiritual connection to the world around them.

While Nick Szabo’s Shelling Out provides valuable insights into the origins of money, his analysis ultimately misses the crucial role that empathy played in early barter systems. By focusing on material scarcity and efficiency, Szabo fails to acknowledge that Native American barter was about more than just economics it was about fostering harmony with the natural world and ensuring that trade benefited not only humans but the entire ecosystem.

The mediums of exchange used by Native Americans worked well precisely because they were rooted in the natural cycle of life and reflected an empathetic relationship with the earth.

Sources:

Szabo, Nick. Shelling Out: The Origins of Money, 2002.