Indigenous Trading Systems

Gifting and Bartering
From way back in history to today, there have been many types of trade systems that indigenous people use.
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Gifting is the informal form of trade that is based on giving gifts. The giver of the gift does not expect anything in return. This is done at times between close groups of related people. The gift fosters that closeness between family members. There is often a lot of trust placed in this form of reciprocity. A second form of gifting is when you give gifts to another person but there is an expectation that such a gift will be returned eventually. This involves a moderate level of trust between the two people involved.

When you are bartering, you are giving an item or service and expecting immediate repayment in the form of another service or item. There is no exchange of money or any other medium of exchange. Barter systems have been in use for thousands of years. Barter has its problems such as consistent valuing of services or goods or fair repayment. Barter has been a traditional way for strangers to start up a trading relationship between themselves.

Cultural Trade

Tom's Story

There will be traditional ceremony happening soon and I will get to see some of my old friends and we will be able to catch up and hear all the stories and events that have been happening in our lives. I will be able to see my old and best friend James. He is very good at making the didgeridoo and we trade between each other as I am very good at making the boomerang which he goes hunting with.

In the old days we would trade between our tribal groups for items that we need to go hunting and gathering with or for items that we wanted for ceremonies, or for special events that were rare items and were hard to get within our country, like shells.

After reading Tom's story, consider:

• How does Tom get what he needs for ceremony?
  
• Does he just trade with his mates or is Tom doing more than just trading for things in ceremony?
  

Australian Early Trade