In this classic article by Van Kirk, the author discusses Native Canadian women’s position in society as European fur traders entered the picture. Van Kirk is examining the role that these Native women played in the evolving fur trade and in doing so also raises some important issues in reference to the social relations between Native Canadians and Europeans during this early history.
Van Kirk writes, “Indian women were able to become an integral part of fur trade society in a sense that Indian men never could…certain circumstances permitted individual women to gain positions of influence and act as “social brokers” between the two groups” (Van Kirk, 1977, p. 31-32). Due to the fact that Europeans traders were a small, all-male segment of …show more content…
Van Kirk writes, “it was not loose morality or even hospitality which prompted the Indians to be so generous with their offers of women. This was their way of drawing the traders into their kinship circle, and in return for giving the traders sexual and domestic rights to their women, the Indians expected equitable privileges such as free access to the posts and provisions” (Van Kirk, 1977, p. 32). This suggests that the Native men were not interested in stymying the goals of the Europeans; in fact, they made efforts and sacrifices to facilitate these conquests in order to create opportunities for the benefit of their society as well. Additionally, it is worth noting that Native men would not have had to broker such deals were it not for the invasion of the European men who then imposed posts and sanctions on Native …show more content…
Van Kirk explains that some of these effects included the eventual deterioration of the status of women within society, and increased sociocultural issues mediated by European involvement (such as maltreatment, abuse, and slavery of Native women). Eventually, “the Indians appear to have become openly contemptuous of the white man and his so-called morality… At first they had welcomed the Canadians but, having rapidly lost respect for them, now forbade any intercourse between their women and the traders”. (Van Kirk, 1977, p.
Van Kirk writes, “Indian women were able to become an integral part of fur trade society in a sense that Indian men never could…certain circumstances permitted individual women to gain positions of influence and act as “social brokers” between the two groups” (Van Kirk, 1977, p. 31-32). Due to the fact that Europeans traders were a small, all-male segment of …show more content…
Van Kirk writes, “it was not loose morality or even hospitality which prompted the Indians to be so generous with their offers of women. This was their way of drawing the traders into their kinship circle, and in return for giving the traders sexual and domestic rights to their women, the Indians expected equitable privileges such as free access to the posts and provisions” (Van Kirk, 1977, p. 32). This suggests that the Native men were not interested in stymying the goals of the Europeans; in fact, they made efforts and sacrifices to facilitate these conquests in order to create opportunities for the benefit of their society as well. Additionally, it is worth noting that Native men would not have had to broker such deals were it not for the invasion of the European men who then imposed posts and sanctions on Native …show more content…
Van Kirk explains that some of these effects included the eventual deterioration of the status of women within society, and increased sociocultural issues mediated by European involvement (such as maltreatment, abuse, and slavery of Native women). Eventually, “the Indians appear to have become openly contemptuous of the white man and his so-called morality… At first they had welcomed the Canadians but, having rapidly lost respect for them, now forbade any intercourse between their women and the traders”. (Van Kirk, 1977, p.