Primitive Trade

TRADE, PRIMITIVE. The importance of trade to primi tive races is seldom realized. Exchange of goods among them is certainly limited in extent; often only specified classes of objects are allowed to change hands, and many commodities are exempt from such traffic, as the land of the clan or tribe. Nevertheless trade, i.e., a regular series of acts of exchange, is a distinct feature in the life of primitive peoples, even the lowest, who live by hunt ing and collecting forest products. The principle of reciprocal transfer of goods, of giving and taking, seems in fact to be deep rooted in huinan nature.

Trade has two aspects, intra-communal, between members of the same community, and extra-communal, between members of different communities. The latter is of more interest, especially since, by the widely accepted theory of Karl Bucher, those few primitive folk who have advanced beyond the pre-economic stage of existence are still in a state of closed household economy. Each little group is imagined as self-sufficient, its needs and products in equilibrium, and trade between them, being unnecessary, is therefore held to be absent. More adequate study, however, shows that this idea is quite erroneous.

Types of Trade.

I. Most spectacular is the institution vari ously described as the silent trade, "dumb barter" (Stummer Handel) or depot trade (Le Commerce par depots). Mentioned by Herodotus, this method of exchange was practised by the Carthaginians in their traffic for gold with the Africati tribes beyond the Pillars of Hercules, and was noted by Fa Hien, Ibn Batuta and other early travellers. In the most general form of procedure one party goes to the customary spot, lays down goods and retires into the bush or to a distance, giving as a signal a call or a gong-stroke. The other people then come, lay down what they consider to be articles of equivalent value, and retreat in their turn. The first party then comes back and if satisfied with the bargain removes the newly-deposited goods ; if not, these are allowed to remain until suitable additions are made. The people

of the second party then take away the original wares and the transaction is concluded. Neither party holds any communication with the other, beyond giving the customary signal, hence the name of "silent trade." This widespread institution is reported from such diverse regions as north Russia, Lapland, west Africa, Timor, Sumatra, India, Ceylon and north New Guinea. It is found especially where people of a fairly primitive type conduct habitual exchange with those of a somewhat higher culture. Thus the Akka pygmies obtain bananas in exchange for meat from neighbouring agricultural tribes, and the Veddah obtain iron im plements from Singhalese smiths in return for game. Elements of shyness and fear are obviously involved in this custom, which thus secures economic benefits for people who shun foreign con tracts.

2. In the gift-exchange the transaction takes the form of pres ent and counter-present often between host and guest. A good example is afforded by the Maori of New Zealand. Exchange was conducted quite in the manner of gift-making; no bargaining upset the proceedings; such was not tika ("correct"). At the same time a very strict system of reciprocity was in force, by which the recipient of the gift was bound, as he valued his name and reputation, to make adequate repayment. This was expected by the donor. Such was the idea of utu, equivalence, which ran through all Maori social life. But the recipient usually tried, if possible, to give back greater value than he received, not through generosity, but since his own prestige would thereby be enhanced.

Even where the exchange was primarily a matter of securing necessaries of life, as food or garments, the desire to obtain fame by being liberal strove with the wish to have the economic ad vantage. As Malinowski, Thurnwald, Radcliffe-Brown and Ray mond Firth have shown, these are the twin psychological factors lying at the root of every exchange of gifts.