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Trade |
The labour of our people also provided means of trading. The men were fishermen and hunters and the women gathered and processed foods. However, depending on the need, these roles were reversed. Some roles did have exceptions, women could not hunt and there were too many taboos that restricted their behavior during the time men hunted. Men carved and worked bone, shell and wood to produce hunting and fishing tools, household utensils, furnishings and canoes. The women were the weavers and wove blankets, baskets and mats. This specialization in craft production was very important to the economics of our family and local group. Many of the goods produced by this were valued as wealth and trade goods. Therefore, food, fur, hunting tools, baskets, blankets and mats were the items involved in trading.
In the photo above, two women and a little girl collecting cat tails for weaving baskets and other household items. Below an elder shows off a basket woven from cedar bark or cat tails.
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