Many Tender Ties: Chapters 2 & 3

Chapter 2: The Custom of the Country

This chapter begins with explaining how the marriage between a Native woman and a fur trader in an indigenous marriage rite called “after the custom of the country” was initially encouraged by the Natives. Because kinship was such an important part of Indian culture, they felt that by allowing the fur traders into their families through marriage they would receive in return free access to the posts and provisions. The passage goes on to give examples of many members of the fur trade hierarchy who married the daughters of prominent chiefs which then allowed them to become very successful. Many of the unions started out as a means of bettering trade relations and for economic reasons. However, they developed into very devoted marriages. This dedication to their wives maybe attributed to the fact that there were no white women in the area. In places where even a small group of British women were present, they defended their role in the community as wives and mothers to a degree that did not allow for the men in their societies to enter wedlock with Native Americans. However, men still craved the presence of a family, so without the option of women of their own culture, they valued Native American women for the role of wife and mother. In order to take an Indian bride, or perform “the custom of the country,” a trader must first obtain her parents permission. He then must pay the bride price. The bride price varied depending on the tribe, and in some cases, as in the custom of the Chinook, involved the exchange of gifts. To finalize the union between the trader and the Indian band the smoking of the calumet was performed. The trader would then escort his new bride from her home to the fort, where the other women of the fort would “cleanse” her for her new husband by washing off the paint and grease and dressing her in European style clothing. Because marriage to Indian women was prohibited by the Hudson Bay Company, this ceremony was recorded mostly by traders of the North West Company. However, the traders of the Hudson Bay Company were still influenced by Natives in their region, and began the practice of taking more than one wife. During the time at the Hudson Bay Company, or the Company, before the men were allowed to take Indian wives, altercations occurred between the officers who tried to enforce the rules, but did not follow them, and their men. Thus, having an Indian wife became a sign of rank. The chapter goes on to describe how some of the relationships, especially those of the traders, or Nor’Westers, who had to travel remained a bit fluid, resulting in the wives returning to their tribes while the trader moved to a different area and found a new wife. This is called “serial monogamy” in the book. The author does stress however, that “the development of distinct family units was the dominant trend” (47). There was also a group of men who after finishing their term with the North West Company, opted to stay in the ‘wilderness’ and live providing for their families though hunting and trading with the posts. This group of men was called “free men.” The men who worked for the Hudson Bay Company did not have it as easy, as they were forbidden to stay and “settle” in the territory and also forbidden to bring their families back to England. Nor’Westers were allowed to bring their families back with them, but few ever did. The women who were left behind returned to their own families. This became increasingly difficult for those who had been in long relationships with the trader. Quite often they were very far from home. Sometimes the trader set up a system with the post which would provide for his family off his annuity after he was gone. Others made arrangements to leave his wife as the wife of another officer at the post. Many other traders despised the idea of leaving their families behind. One was quoted as saying, “ ‘The abandoning of a family, of whatever color they may be, is a severe trial to the feelings’ .” (51) The chapter finishes by expressing the legitimacy of a marriage ‘a la façon du pays’ (French for ‘the custom of the country.’) Even though these marriages were “contracted without the benefit of clergy” (52), they were just as bona fide as any other marital union. These marriages were very important in the development of social ties between the fur traders and the Natives, as well as for the growth of the distinct fur trade society.

The key points of this chapter which are relevant to this class are the blending of cultures and societies, assimilation, and the economical benefits of marriage leading to the emotional bonds of family. The ceremony which provided a legitimate marriage in both the eyes of the Indians and in the eyes of traders shows the blending of cultures. It is important to note that while the traditions were mainly those of the native peoples, they respected these traditions and fulfilled the duties of the contract which benefited both him, by gaining more trade, and the family, by having access to the post and its provisions. The wives of the traders, and their children, became assimilated into the European culture, at least partially, just by living in the fort and being surrounded by it most of their lives. Also, as part of the ceremony, when the new wife comes home, the other women in the fort remove part of her Indian identity by washing away the grease and paints and changing their clothes from the leathers they would wear at home with their families, to more European style clothing. While many of the men entered into these marriages as an economic benefit to themselves, they also gained companionship, a family, and an emotional tie to the Native American culture, even if only a small part of it. This can be seen in many of the wills left by traders which instead that his wife and children be taken care of.

Chapter 3: Your Honors Servants

This chapter really illustrated how dependent the fur traders were on Native women. It began by giving an idea of the types of tasks the women were responsible for and how much work was done to feed, clothe, and make a living for the family of a fur trader. Some of the things the women were responsible for were making shoes; both moccasins and snow shoes, preparing and storing food, fishing, snaring small game, dressing furs, helping build canoes, sometimes manning the canoes, and gathering berries and other herbs and plants that were needed. They did all this and raised a family, which sometimes involved watching over a lot of children. Native women were also very important on journeys inland. As one man put it, a journey with out a women seemed “doomed for failure.” The women functioned as guides, mediators, and interpreters. A young Chipewyan woman by the name of Thanadelthur played a very important role in the 1715-16 peace negations between the Cree and the Chipewyan on Governor Knight’s expedition. Women also actively participated in the fur trade. They traditionally trapped small fur bearing animals and were quite good at it. The main point of this chapter was to show how the fur traders were very dependent on the Native women not only for companionship, but also because they made very valuable economic partners. However, the chapter also really shows how these women’s abilities were exploited and taken advantage of without fair compensation. By treating them as slaves, it was just another step in the dehumanization of their race.

Van Kirk, Sylvia. Many Tender Ties : Women in Fur-Trade Society, 1670-1870. New York: University of Oklahoma P, 1983. 28-73.