From Bartering to Bankruptcy

“No tribe has the right to sell, even to each other, much

less to strangers… Sell a country? Why not sell the air,

the great sea, as well as the earth? Didn’t the Great

Spirit make them all for the use of his children?

-Tecumseh

Shawnee

 

The stories of many Native American people, who turned their lives over to enterprises such as the American Fur Company, were filled with financial loss and other hard-ships. Indian people were coerced into accumulating debt during President Jefferson’s time in office. Jefferson believed the country was run by the people and during that time period the general population strived to rid the country of the “Indian problem.”

            To appease the Americans, Jefferson decided to set up the Indian people to turn over their land holdings by using a market economy. More and more white settlers were moving to this country and using more of the land’s rich resources. Trading posts were put up in various locations to entice the Indian people to get their needs met and at the same time accumulate debt. 

            To get an idea of how much beaver pelts were worth at the trading posts, in 1784 the Hudson Bay Company prepared a “Table of Equivalents” which listed the number of beavers required to trade for various items. Throughout history prices have gone up, not down, for items purchased in stores. It would be safe to note that it would have taken many more beavers to get the same wares during the early 1800s. In 1784, the following table was used to place a value on specific items, a concept that was foreign to the Indian people.

 

• 1 Beaver = 9 Arrow Heads
• 1 Beaver = 1 yard of cloth
• 4 Beavers = 1 gallon of brandy
• 11 Beavers = 1 gun
• 1 Beaver = ¾ pounds of beads

 

            Moving from a bartering system to a market economy was difficult for the Native American people. Many were confused about this concept. Bartering is a form of transaction in which goods or services are exchanged for other goods or services without mediums of exchange such as money. This form of exchange was practiced by the Native Americans and they believed in the concept of reciprocity. Trade was carried out in a respectful and fair manner. The bartering exchanges were usually considered reciprocal and immediate by the trusting Indian people.

            The beaver they hunted and trapped for the Euro-peans provided sustenance for the people of their village. In the past they used all parts of the animals they hunted. For example, the animal intestines referred to as sinew served as the thread to sew hides together. Before the fur-trading days the Indian people would exchange furs for things such as cooking utensils, pots, pans, guns and alcoholic beverages. Brandy and rum were often the trade items of choice for the British and French. They would trade vast amounts of alcohol because it was regarded as a cheap commodity in exchange for furs.          

When the settlers wanted to obtain the land, Indian people did not know how to place a value on it. They did not know what a stream or a tract of forest was worth in terms of gunpowder, iron pots or cloth. They went along with the government treaty negotiators who wrote on paper what specific land holdings were valued. They did not understand how that could be determined, considering the change of seasons and the yield of the hunt. The traders often short changed the unsuspecting Indian people and to back up their claims they would show them a statement of accounts. These statements resembled a foreign language to them.

They felt confused, hungry and cold, and they were losing their homelands. Eventually, they realized they lost by playing by a corrupt set of rules. By the time they realized they were being cheated, it was too late. Not all of the white settlers took advantage of the naive Indian people.

John Johnston became friends with many of the Indian people. Johnston’s life began on August 25, 1762 in Northern Ireland. In 1790 he moved to what is now referred to as Canada and he arrived with capital to invest in the fur-trading business. In 1791, Johnston went on a fur-trading trip to Mackinac Island. He traveled further north to Bad River in what is currently referred to as Wisconsin.

He made friends with some of the Ojibwe people at Bad River. He was interested in marrying the daughter of the Ojibwe war chief, Waubojeeg. The chief told him to come back in one year and if he was still interested he would allow him to marry his daughter. Johnston returned after a year and married Ozhaguscodaywayquay, Woman of the Green Glade.  He later named her Susan. They had four sons and four daughters. When he married his wife, the couple was considered influential with the trade business and had excellent connections with the Ojibwe, Europeans, and Americans in the area. They were welcomed by explorers, politicians, scholars, tribal chiefs and military officers. Johnston did not take advantage of the Indian people. He was known for his kindness amongst the tribal people. If they did not have enough furs to trade for items they needed, Johnston did not carry the debt over in his books.[i]

             His relationship with the Americans took a turn for the worse during the war of 1812. Johnston fought with the British when they took over Fort Michilimackinac on Mackinac Island. The American military forces believed Johnston to be on the side of the British and connected to the British run company, the North West Company, so they burned and confiscated approximately $40,000 of his business and private property as an act of revenge. Susan had to pack in a hurry and take her children to her brother’s home to keep her children safe. 

Johnston was facing financial ruin and was forced to seek employment. He became the fur-trading agent for the American Fur Company in 1816 and 1817 in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan and the south shore of Lake Superior. John Jacob Astor was the owner of the American Fur Trading Company. Instead of being an employee of the company Johnston decided to take his goods on “shares.” This venture set him up for risk if the company did not do well in the region.

In 1816 an act of law was passed which granted only U.S. citizens the right to carry on the fur trade in “Indian Country” in the United States. Johnston found a loop hole and appointed his U.S. born son George to run the family owned fur-trading company. Out of loyalty to his home country, Johnston had not become an American citizen and as a result Johnston was not in a position to fight for his rights as a shareholder in the American Fur Company. [ii]

The Indian people suffered under the guise of  joint business ventures between the Indian people and the white businessmen. Much of the wild game was hunted by the settlers and there wasn't much left for the native inhabitants. The Indian people, depressed and downtrodden, had to rely on charging for goods purchased at the trading companies. They were unfamiliar with transactions that involved money for the exchange of goods. Some of these unfortunate people traded furs for goods. Johnston treated the Indian people with respect and tried to help them whenever he could. That was not the case with many of the other white businessmen.

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[i] Brazer, M. (1993).  Harps Upon the Willows.  Michigan: The Historical Society of Michigan, 51-89.

[ii] Arbic, B. (2003).  City of the Rapids: Sault Ste. Marie’s Heritage. Michigan: The Priscilla Press.

The Amish

A large group of Amish people decided to move to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan a few years ago. We see them at local farmers’ markets, at local stores and driving their horse and buggies near where they live and other areas. They seem to be a friendly lot. Some of the stores put a place for their horses to be secured. We are not permitted to park near these areas to prevent us from blocking the area. The men usually sport beards and the women wear bonnets and long dresses. There have been some complaints about them driving their carriages during the nighttime hours. People fear they may not see their black buggies. The police have not been able to convince the Amish people to install lights to the back and front of their buggies. There has been another complaint about the Amish not having to obtain building permits. Our home was built by the Amish, they worked for a manufactured home company. I have learned through my travels that they own restaurants, build furniture and build homes, they are a talented group of people. They are also farmers. I decided to explore and learn more about what it is like to live in an Amish community.

            The Amish people have lived in America for a long time with the first Amish people arriving during the 18^th century. They moved to this country to escape persecution because of their religious beliefs. The first sect was established by Jakob Amman, a Swiss minister, during the late 17^th century in the Anabaptist church. He believed that his followers should adhere to the teachings of Jesus and His apostles, but leave the rest of the world behind, not get involved in the daily lives of others outside of their sect. The word “Amish” originated from his name.

            Their language was derived from the “Deutsch” or German and from an ancient dialect. Because of their isolation from the outside world, their language is spoken differently than the current German. Their language has been influenced by the English population.

            Farming is the central focal point of their lives so where they live depends on where they can farm successfully. The population of the Amish has expanded due to their large families so they tend to live on land away from urban areas. They initially resided in Ohio and now have expanded to 30 states and they also reside in Canada. Ohio has the largest Amish population. The Amish population is one the fastest growing populations in the U.S. In 1920, the population was at 5,000 and now it is almost 300,000. In 1984 the population was reported to be at 84,000. The extensive growth is related to the belief that large families are a blessing from God. Children also provide assistance on the farms.

            Contrary to what I believed, the Amish are taxed on their earnings. Increasing numbers are venturing into business enterprises, primarily carpentry and the sale of farm products. They form construction crews that build homes and other buildings. A friend of mine told me that her neighbors hired the Amish to put a new roof on their home. As a result of owning property and earning money through various ways, they pay all taxes: income, property, sales, estate, corporate and school. They were exempted by Congress to not collect or pay social security . they view social security as a commercial insurance. They believe the members of the church should provide for its community members. The Amish people have been exempted from workmen’s compensation for the same above reason. They are excluded from military service due to their belief in non-resistance. This not only applies to war, but also law-enforcement, politics and legal actions. Wouldn’t life be simpler if we didn’t have to deal with any of these things?

            The Amish life is ruled by the “Ordnung,” a German word for order.  Most Amish people forbid the owning of cars, televisions, computers, other forms of self-propelled machinery and the use of electricity. They forbid the sanction of divorce, and attending high school and college. Photography is not permitted because it may lead to personal vanity. Another Amish word “hochmut” defines the prohibition of the demonstration of pride and arrogance. It is believed that the horse and buggy mode of transportation keeps the community anchored in one area.

            Amish children attend school usually through eighth grade, mostly private schools. A few have attended public schools, approximately 10%. The United States Supreme Court passed a ruling in 1972 that they could end school at the age of 14. Instruction is usually provided in English and their German language.

            The Amish are not considered one single unit, there are four main groups: the Old Order, the New Order, The Beachy Amish and the Amish Mennonites. Subgroups and different rules exist amongst these various categories. The Beachy Amish and Amish Mennonites have been known to drive cars and use electricity while the other groups do not.

            Their dress is rather plain with some groups only wearing black and white clothing, while others may wear muted colors. Buttons are not permitted because of the potential for showiness, and such things as Velcro and zippers are also not allowed. They use pins and hook-and-eye closures. Capes may be worn to religious services.

             The term “Rumspringa” refers to the period of time in young person’s life when they are deciding to either be baptized and join the church or leave the Amish community. The term means running around and this running around stops when they get married. When a person turns 16 the youth will socialize with their friends on weekends. They will perhaps seek a future mate or explore the workings of the outside world. The “Rumspringa” ends when the person is between the age of 18 and 21 or if they decide to leave the Amish community.

            I hope this summary of what it is like to live in an Amish community was helpful. It is my understanding that they are a hard working people who embrace the solidarity of their communities. With farming being their main focus, the community practices a drive to satisfy the responsibility of caring for their community as a whole. I have seen during the winter months, a long line with cotton towels were hung to dry and possibly air. I saw a young man at a mail box, he seemed excited to discover what had been sent. The males are usually seen driving the horse and buggies. I imagine the family members are assigned the traditional jobs of males and females such as the females handling the cooking responsibilities. I wonder if they celebrate any of the holidays we celebrate. Do they read books on a regular basis? When it is dark outside do they light candles? Perhaps I will need to interview a few Amish people to find out more about their lives.

 

 

Reference

 

Diebel, M. (August 15, 2014). The Amish: 10 things you might not know. Retrieved on March 7, 2017 from http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/08/15/amish-ten-things- you-need-to-know/14111249/

           

           

           

           

           

Alien Abductions

We are being watched by aliens from other planets and sometimes they take us to their spaceships or possibly planets to examine us to find out how we are different or similar to them. Many individuals filed reports about alien abductions. Some of the humans have not been returned to Earth. They have disappeared forever. Some have given detailed accounts about their abductions and others do not remember any details. Various testimonies derailed the idea that we are alone in this universe. Other life forces exist.

            “George wake up. Someone is in our home,” wailed Alexia.

            “I don’t hear anything,” replied George.

            “George, can you take your gun and flashlight and check things out?” asked Alexia.

            “Yes, Alexia,” said George begrudgingly.

            George grabbed his handgun out of his nightstand and the flashlight that was laying next to the gun and walked out into the hallway outside of their upstairs bedroom. He heard nothing.  He almost tripped over their cat, Sammy. Cursing because he stubbed his toe, he continued to look in the other bedrooms and bathroom that shared the same floor as their bedroom. He saw nothing out of the ordinary.

            He walked downstairs and entered the kitchen. He found nothing out of the ordinary. George was starting to get frustrated because this was the second time in two weeks that he has been woken out of a sound sleep by Alexia because she thought she heard something.

            Alexia screamed, which startled George. He ran upstairs. Alexia was nowhere to be found. The door to the terrace from of their bedroom was open. He ran outside just in time to see a strange spaceship.  The spaceship was round and blue lights lined the perimeter.

George could not believe his eyes. He grabbed onto the railing and yelled at the spaceship to bring back his wife.  

            What do I do? She’s gone and it looks like aliens took her. Do I call the police? What do I do? I have to call someone. George was beside himself. He decided to call the police. He could not deal with this on his own.

            “Hello, my name is George Castice. I am reporting that my wife was just abducted by aliens.”

            “Slow down. It sounded like you said your wife was abducted by aliens,” replied Sandy the responder from the 911 call center.

            “Yes, that is what I said.”

            “Give me your address and I will send a car over there immediately,” replied Sandy. She has heard a lot of strange things since she started her job a couple of years ago, but never did anyone report an alien abduction. She placed the call with a couple of police officers that were in the area after George gave her his home address.

            Lights were flashing brightly from the police car as the police entered the driveway of George’s home during the wee hours of the morning. The neighborhood was quiet.

            “I am so glad you are here. My wife heard something and woke me up to check things out. I was downstairs when I heard her scream. The door to the terrace was wide open. They were locked when we went to bed and when I ran onto the terrace, I saw a strange alien spaceship,” George said. He was out of breath because he was talking so fast and he was a nervous wreck.

            The officers looked at him strangely and suspiciously.

            “Have you been drinking, sir?” asked one of the officers.

            “No, I was sound asleep and like I said my wife woke me to check things out. I was downstairs after checking all the rooms upstairs when I heard her scream.”

            “Did you see anything out of the ordinary when you checked out the house?” asked the officer.

            “You mean besides the spaceship?” asked George who was starting to feel like he was not being taken seriously.  He was concerned about his wife and knew the police officers could not help him.

            “Have you and your wife been getting along?” asked one of the police officers.

            “What are you suggesting? I love my wife. We were going on vacation in a couple of days. I would never do anything to hurt her,” said George. He was starting to feel sorry that he called 911. George’s face was turning redder as he stared at the police officers.

            “Settle down. We are not accusing you of anything yet.”

            George asked the police officers to leave. They reluctantly left.

            “Let’s us know if you hear from your wife.”

            “I will.”

 

            A couple of days went by and there was no sign of Alexia. George was getting more and more worried.

            He went to bed and tried falling asleep. He saw flashing blue lights outside their bedroom window. He opened the doors to the terrace and found Alexia. She was in a daze. He guided her to their bed and helped her lay down. Her nightgown was torn and dirty which George thought was odd. It was like she was running through the woods with bare feet. Her feet were covered in mud. How odd that she appeared like she did.

            “Are you okay my love?”

            Alexia did not respond. She lay staring at him with blank eyes. She looked like she hadn’t slept in days. Dark circles were under her eyes and her eyes were bloodshot. George lay down beside her and held her in his arms. She fell fast asleep and did not wake up until 8:00 a.m. in the morning. She shook George who was sound asleep next to her. He was startled and woke up to see her looking down at him.

            “I’m hungry, George.”

            “What do you want to eat?”

            “Anything. I haven’t eaten in days.”

            George stared at her for a little while and then got out of bed to retrieve food for her. He made her a turkey sandwich on rye and peeled and orange for her. He poured her a glass of milk and walked upstairs to bring the food to Alexia. She was in the shower. George set the tray down on the nightstand and walked into the bathroom.

            Alexia finished showering and started drying off. George didn’t realize how much he missed her until he saw her in front of him. She was covered in small bruises and winced when she dried over part of the bruised area on her body.

            She ate heartily after she put on another nightgown.

            George waited until she finished eating and drinking the milk and then asked her, “Can you tell me what happened to you?”

            “I was taken by these strange greenish people. They didn’t talk but probed me a lot. They inspected my whole body. We landed, I think on Earth. It looked like Earth and they had me run through the woods as fast as I could. They placed that thought into my head. There was no talking. I had to run for what seemed like hours and I was given short breaks. I think they wanted to see how strong I was.”

            “Did they hurt you?”

            “They were pinching me with these devices. That hurt.”

            “What did the devices look like?”

            “They looked like large narrow tongs with red lights running down the sides. The red lights were hot,” said Alexia.

            Alexia matter of factly added, “I was told that I was taken as a child when I was six and they wanted to see how I have grown and to check my strength.”

            George was surprised to hear about her fist abduction.

            “I don’t remember being abducted when I was six. They told me they erased the memories of my abduction from me and my family’s memories.”

            “Why are you able to remember you were abducted this time?”

            “They said they are not concerned with hiding their appearance on this planet. There are a lot of aliens on Earth at this time. The aliens are concerned with what we are doing with our planet.”

            “Interesting.”

            “We do things like recycle and use energy efficient appliances. We also grow our own food when possible, but many people do not take any steps to save our planet,” said Alexia.

            “Are you okay?” asked George.

            “They were more careful with me than they were with some of the others because I am pregnant.”

            “You’re pregnant,” said George. He was astounded to hear the news. They gave up trying to have a baby a few years ago because of George’s low sperm count. They adopted a dog and a cat to fill the void and volunteer at the local animal shelter when time permits. They thought they lived fulfilling and happy lives for the most part.

            George hugged his wife and patted her belly.

            “Are you going to be left alone from now on by the aliens?”

            “I don’t know. They dropped me off and said nothing to me about any future visits,” said Alexia.

            George did not know what to make of the whole ordeal. He called the police and the same police visited their home again. They met with Alexia to get her side to things and left feeling like they were just told the biggest lie. The police officers looked at each other with disbelief but could not openly disagree with Alexia about what she reported. They told her that they were glad she was home safe and sound.

 

********

 

            Jack woke up in his bed in a small community in Vermont. He was terrified about the dream he just had. He dreamed he was taken by aliens to another planet. He was shackled, probed and ordered to run for great distances. The man that was running next to him fell to the ground and it looked like he was dead. There was no heart beat or pulse. He was alone running for what he thought was for his life. He was fully awake so he looked at his alarm clock. The luminated numbers told him it was 5:00 a.m. so he got out of bed to get ready for work. He worked at the hospital for the maintenance department.

            He arrived at work and John, a lab tech, asked him if he was feeling better.

            “What do you mean?” asked Jack.

            “You were out for a few days,” responded John.

            “What day is it?” asked Jack.

            John looked at him queerly and responded, “It’s Sunday.”

            Jack realized he missed a couple of days. He lost them completely. He thought it was Thursday. Where did Thursday, Friday and Saturday go. Jack scratched his head.

            Jack looked at John and told him he was feeling better and he thanked him for his concern.

            Jack did not know what to think about what was going on. He went about his business and explained that he had a terrible bug and he was immobilized for what he thought was only a day or two and was very sorry he did not call in. Jack was a model employee so they did not question what he said. They took his word concerning his three-day absence. There were a few bugs going around. It was that time of year, midwinter.

           

*********

 

            Leon was strapped to a long table. A bright light was hanging above his head. He did not know where he was. He was groggy and stunned to realize he was in a strange place.

            Tall people who happened to be a greenish color were staring down at him.

            They were planting thoughts in his head or he was reading their minds. They were planning on examining his brain. They wanted to find out why he was so intelligent. More so than the other humans they picked up from Earth.

            Leon was a scientist on Earth. He was working in a laboratory trying to come up with a cure for cancer. The aliens were exploring the possibility that he may be a human hybrid. They knew he was more intelligent than most of the humans they have examined. They wanted to find out how intelligent he was and where his intelligence came from. Some of the aliens that visited Earth were in competition with the other aliens.  Most of the aliens were from advanced civilizations and they surpassed the capacity of the typical human brains.

            Leon was given a multitude of virtual tests to measure his intelligence. The aliens were impressed with his aptitude. Leon was getting sleepy so they studied his brain while they let him sleep. They continued for days until they reached a point of discovery that Leon must be a hybrid human. The origin was further explored by running a series of complex DNA studies. They made the determination that Leon was derived from a combination of donors. One of the donors was from the planet Nibiru, their sister planet. They learned that at an earlier time period their Anunnaki brothers and sisters were experimenting with their own DNA to make more intelligent humans. It appeared to them that they were successful with their human hybrid experiment.

            Leon woke up from his induced sleep to find them probing his heart and lungs. He was in pain from all the probing that was being done to him. He looked down at his arms and saw puncture wounds.

            “I want to go home,” demanded Leon.

            Aliens have been known to be able to decipher any language from any planet they visit and respond by planting thoughts in the beings’ minds. They replied that he will go home soon by planting that thought in his head. Leon settled down and tried to block from his mind the things they were doing to his body. He fell to sleep naturally and woke up in his own bed not remembering a thing that happened to him the past couple of days.

 

********

           
            Alexia was having a nightmare one night and George turned on the light on his end table. He saw Alexia standing facing him on the bed. Her face was contorted. She looked like she had seen a ghost. George carefully helped her lay down. He held her in his arms. She was crying and trembling.

            “I don’t want to go back with those aliens. They haunt me constantly. Half the time I have trouble deciding what is real and what is not.”

            “I am so sorry honey. I wish I could ease your mind.”

            “I know you are doing the best you can.”

            “The baby kicked. Feel it.”

            George placed his hand on his wife’s belly. She appeared to be getting big with this pregnancy faster than George expected. George was hopeful everything was going to be okay. Alexia’s doctor’s appointment was tomorrow and they could check on the progress of the baby. The doctor was going to conduct an ultrasound.

            The next day they are at the doctor’s office and he running the scope on Alexia’s swollen belly. George is anxiously awaiting the results.

            The doctor points out what looks like a dark blob on the screen.

            “It looks like a healthy baby. Look there is a second fetus hidden behind the first,” the doctor said.

            George and Alexia look at each other to share in the surprise together. George squeezes her hand.

            “The fetus that is behind the other fetus appears to be smaller. You may be having a boy and a girl.”           
            “That will be okay,” said George elated about the news. Twins did not run in any of their families as much as he was aware but the news of the babies being healthy and of possibly two sexes sounded okay to George. He held Alexia’s hand.

           

********

           

            Jack discovered that he was even more forgetful. He forgot to set his alarm and was late for work. He forgot to pack his lunch so he wandered down to the cafeteria.

            He paid for his food and sat by himself. John sat next to him.

            “I think I am still under the weather. I am not myself.”

            “Is there anything I can do for you?” asked John.

            “No, I think I just need to let it work out of my system.”

            The truth was he felt okay but his mind did not seem to work as well as before he was abducted. He was wondering what the aliens did to him.

            “Do you mind if I join you?” asked Mary, another lab tech.

            John pointed to the seat by him.

            “What’s wrong with your friend?” asked Mary quietly.

            “I think he’s still feeling like he’s under the weather. He was recently sick.”

            Mary smiled at Jack to reassure him.

            At home later that evening Jack tried to play along with jeopardy and realized that he couldn’t answer any of the questions that were being presented. He closed his eyes and thought about a time when he could not answer the questions and could not come with a time when his mind was as blank as it was now. He was getting concerned. He had to write lists to accomplish any of the everyday things he used to do in the past such as turning on his alarm clock. He developed a daily checklist so he wouldn’t forget to do anything. He couldn’t afford to be late for work anymore. He felt he was being watched at work. Jack went from being a model employee to one who was being watched. This was unsettling to him.

            When the aliens abducted Jack they realized that he was of average intelligence, not a remarkable human specimen. They were not careful when they erased part of his memories from the abduction. Some of his previous memories before the abduction were also erased.

            Leon, on the other hand, was treated with the utmost care when they erased part of the memories from his abduction. As part of their experiment, they injected some of their brain cells, which enhanced his intelligence. He was making progress with his research concerning finding a cure for cancer in leaps and bounds.

 

********

                       
            It was time for Alexia to give birth. They were both nervous but faced the future bundles of joy with happy anticipation. Alexia’s mother was arriving at their home that evening to help with the twins. She was able to stay for a month or two. George was very happy about that. His mother died years ago so he was glad that Alexia still had her mother in her life.

            Alexia was in a lot of pain and was given a shot to ease the pain.

            The time had come. The first head of one of the babies was crowning. It was a girl, a healthy baby girl.

Alexia started pushing again and the second baby’s head was crowning. This baby was considerably larger so she needed to be cut more to allow the baby’s head to come out.

            Everybody was waiting. Alexia’s sister and her husband and George’s father were in the waiting room.

            George asked, “Is the baby okay?”

            “The baby is fine, just larger,” replied the doctor.

            The baby was finally born. The baby’s skin had a sparkly glow to it. Everyone in the delivery room thought it may be the lighting. The baby was a boy. He cried loudly as he was being cleaned after the delivery.

            Alexia was being stitched and given additional pain medicine because of the difficulty of the second delivery.