In most Indians cultures, the men had it relatively easy [they hunted, they fought] compared to the constant, backbreaking work of the women. I am sure, as in any population, some of the women would have been delighted to try something new, esp. if it made their work a little easier. While others would have preferred to keep to the old ways. Nancy ------- I was never lost, but I was bewildered once for three days. --Daniel Boone On Feb 13, 2007, at 10:03 AM, Anne Pemberton wrote: > Thanks, Kevin. I am thinking that a useful item would be traded > before pretties. Maybe that is incorrect. Roundtree described the > labor and discomfort of digging the tubers with a digging stick or > by brute labor (the surface of the tubors caused stinging to the > skin), so I would think that prudent women would seek first to make > their labor easier. Perhaps that is my own perception. > > As I think on it, I wonder if the women would have taken the corn > to the settlement, or if the settlers would have come to the > village to make the trade. If the settlers did the traveling, they > may not have thought to bring a shovel, or maybe they did? > > I just ordered two of Roundtree's books, in addition to the JSTOR > article. I may finish the story before they arrive, but since I am > publishing on the web, it is very easy to update the story when I > get new information. > > Anne > Anne Pemberton > [log in to unmask] > http://www.erols.com/stevepem > http://www.erols.com/apembert > http://www.educationalsynthesis.org > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Kevin Joel Berland" <[log in to unmask]> > To: <[log in to unmask]> > Sent: Tuesday, February 13, 2007 9:53 AM > Subject: Re: Native American Culture > > >> Not sure the alternatives are either a shovel or pulling the >> tubers up by hand. There's some indication in the ethnological >> literature that tidewater nations used a digging stick before >> shovels or spades were available--and it's my impression that >> digging implements were not major items in the trade goods >> exchange (I'm willing to be corrected, of course), so digging >> sticks would still have been used in the period. Rountree's >> studies are essential reading. >> >> Cheers -- Kevin >> >> >> >> On Tue, 13 Feb 2007 09:40:20 -0500 Anne Pemberton >> wrote: >> >> >> >> >> I think I will have them deliver some corn to trade at Jamestown, >> perhaps >> three baskets of husked corn for a shovel and some pretties. The >> Reader will >> help them negotiate the trade, since the settlers will ask for >> more corn to >> trade for a shovel. John Smith may be involved in the trade. >> >> The shovel is to be used in harvesting the tubers from the swamp, >> that are >> used for flour when corn isn't available. Without a shovel, the >> women are >> using brute strength to pull out the tubers. >> >> With the advice from Helen Rountree's article, I will have >> breakfast from >> the stew pot, and, after their return from the corn trade, they >> will butcher >> meat to add to the stew pot. >> >> >> >> >> To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the >> instructions >> at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html > > To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the > instructions > at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html