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Many Tender Ties
Beginning with the founding of the Hudson’s Bay Company in 1670, the fur trade dominated the development of the Canadian west. Although detailed accounts of the fur-trade era have appeared, until recently the rich social history has been ignored. In this book, the fur trade is examined not simply as an economic activity but as a social and cultural complex that was to survive for nearly two centuries.
The author traces the development of a mutual dependency between Indian and European traders at the economic level that evolved into a significant cultural exchange as well. Marriages of fur traders to Indian women created bonds that helped advance trade relations. As a result of these "many tender ties," there emerged a unique society derived from both Indian and European culture.
The author traces the development of a mutual dependency between Indian and European traders at the economic level that evolved into a significant cultural exchange as well. Marriages of fur traders to Indian women created bonds that helped advance trade relations. As a result of these "many tender ties," there emerged a unique society derived from both Indian and European culture.
314 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1980
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329 people want to read
About the author
Sylvia Van Kirk
3 books4 followersSylvia Van Kirk is a professor of Canadian History and Women's Studies at the University of Toronto.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
December 11, 2011
I feel like half the work was already done when Sylvia Van Kirk laid out her topic. Many Tender Ties chronicles the change in marriage trends among fur traders in Canada from 1670-1870. Specifically, the story is how traders' preferences for wives shifted from native Indians, to half-native, half-European, and finally to fully European. Maybe I'm a geek, but that just sounds cool, even without all the elaboration and nuance Van Kirk brings in her narrative.
Van Kirk starts by dispelling the popular notion that fur traders lived like a bunch of uncultured barbarians with no interest in settling down in families. Instead, most men actually pursued a traditional family setting, finding their wives among the surrounding native tribes. Over time, later generations of fur traders began to prefer the children of these initial unions, half-native half-european wives, who act as mediums between the two cultures. Later on, this gave way to a sort of competition between half-blood native wives and fully-european wives, and the disputes got predictably pretty nasty. Van Kirk offers some nice concrete stories about how it worked itself out.
Predictably enough, Van Kirk also offers some interesting insights into gender issues with historiography, specifically how active and influential female native wives of Europeans were. She also digs into how to give these women a voice when they left behind little to no writings of their own, and all we're left with are the writings of their husbands (or the white wives of other men). These are interesting issues, and though I'm not convinced Van Kirk handles everything well in the end, the book is still really thought provoking.
Van Kirk starts by dispelling the popular notion that fur traders lived like a bunch of uncultured barbarians with no interest in settling down in families. Instead, most men actually pursued a traditional family setting, finding their wives among the surrounding native tribes. Over time, later generations of fur traders began to prefer the children of these initial unions, half-native half-european wives, who act as mediums between the two cultures. Later on, this gave way to a sort of competition between half-blood native wives and fully-european wives, and the disputes got predictably pretty nasty. Van Kirk offers some nice concrete stories about how it worked itself out.
Predictably enough, Van Kirk also offers some interesting insights into gender issues with historiography, specifically how active and influential female native wives of Europeans were. She also digs into how to give these women a voice when they left behind little to no writings of their own, and all we're left with are the writings of their husbands (or the white wives of other men). These are interesting issues, and though I'm not convinced Van Kirk handles everything well in the end, the book is still really thought provoking.
October 14, 2023
I have long been fascinated with the fur trade era, and was thrilled to learn of this book about the women in fur trade society. It examines the liaisons between white fur traders and native women, and later, between the mixed race daughters of these relationships and the fur traders. These relationships were once thought to be casual and short term, but through reading countless journals and letters left behind by the white male fur traders, the author concluded that many, if not most, of these relationships were loving and enduring partnerships which those involved viewed as equivalent to marriage. While some fur traders did abandon their native wives when they retired, or even moved to a different post, many did not, and even those who did often made provisions to support their wives and children in their absence. The society that developed around this marriage custom worked very well until white women started arriving, and bringing their racist and classist colonial attitudes with them. This book is based on the author's PhD thesis, and is written in the rather dry, formal and slightly pretentious style of academic writing, but it is still quite readable.
November 19, 2018
Now this is one I desperately want to finish reading. Imagine that. (almost bunny trailed away from my skimming to read it but NO. I WAS GOOD. NOW SOMEONE GIVE ME THE BOOK AND THE TIME TO READ IT IN.)
April 1, 2021
A great description of the early fur trade and the important roll women played in it.
March 22, 2023
Woof, this book took a while to get going. But having blazed through the last few chapters, I am convinced that an enterprising writer has to take the HIGH DRAMA of fur trading society and turn it into a novel or TV series. There's Real Housewives of Manitoba energy here, but make it 19th century and full of enraging race politics. Wives spreading lies about other wives, and husbands suing for defamation. But also devastating details about mixed race children having to suppress or deny their native heritage. I wonder how much of these social wounds are still felt today in and around Winnipeg.
September 3, 2008
Very similar to Strangers in Blood by Jennifer Brown. A great pair of books to read together. I've also read some articles by VanKirk that follow the same subject. A good researcher and easy to read.
August 3, 2023
Written in 1980, this meticulously researched book highlights the role that indigenous women played in the fur trade industry from 1670 to 1870, when Manitoba was created and the previous culture broke down.
Since there are no written records from the women themselves, the author pored through every letter and journal left behind by white men and came up with a surprising and heartwarming conclusion: many or even most, white European men formed loving, lifelong partnerships with their indigenous wives, sometimes encouraged by their employers, but sometimes at the expense of their own careers.
Moreover, in a world without white women, indigenous wives had a powerful role to play in the fur trade culture. There were several waves: the first white men married full-blooded indigenous women who basically kept them alive with their skills. The second wave married their mixed-blood daughters, who were bilingual and acclimatized to the white man’s ways.
As time went on, these mixed blood women married officers in both the Hudson Bay and the Northwest Company, assumed European dress, were often educated, and acted as interpreters, advisers, and hostesses during official events.
Alas, it all fell apart when white women began to arrive with their snobbish ideas of class and gender and married white traders, usurping and downgrading their indigenous counterparts.
Because two of my own Scottish ancestors worked for the Bay and married mixed-blood women, and remained together all their lives (their children married each other in Red River, Manitoba and became my great-great grandparents) I was happy to read this account of the “many tender ties” that formed between these two very disparate groups of people.
This is a fascinating piece of research and well worth reading during this time of upheaval and reconciliation.
Since there are no written records from the women themselves, the author pored through every letter and journal left behind by white men and came up with a surprising and heartwarming conclusion: many or even most, white European men formed loving, lifelong partnerships with their indigenous wives, sometimes encouraged by their employers, but sometimes at the expense of their own careers.
Moreover, in a world without white women, indigenous wives had a powerful role to play in the fur trade culture. There were several waves: the first white men married full-blooded indigenous women who basically kept them alive with their skills. The second wave married their mixed-blood daughters, who were bilingual and acclimatized to the white man’s ways.
As time went on, these mixed blood women married officers in both the Hudson Bay and the Northwest Company, assumed European dress, were often educated, and acted as interpreters, advisers, and hostesses during official events.
Alas, it all fell apart when white women began to arrive with their snobbish ideas of class and gender and married white traders, usurping and downgrading their indigenous counterparts.
Because two of my own Scottish ancestors worked for the Bay and married mixed-blood women, and remained together all their lives (their children married each other in Red River, Manitoba and became my great-great grandparents) I was happy to read this account of the “many tender ties” that formed between these two very disparate groups of people.
This is a fascinating piece of research and well worth reading during this time of upheaval and reconciliation.
April 11, 2021
Van Kirk deserves kudos for many aspects of this book. First, it is based on a comprehensive review of primary and secondary sources. The former include manuscripts, correspondence, and government reports. There is a 9 page bibliography and 30 pages of references.
Second, she integrates all of this information into careful and thorough analyses of the ways in which women’s roles evolved from 1670-1870. Each chapter covers one element of this history in a systematic way. Examples of specific situations and/or notable people make for nuanced descriptions. Additionally, quotations are inserted in a timely way so as to elaborate on the points being made. While doing all of this she offers comparisons between the culture of the Hudson Bay Company versus that of the North West Company. Similarities and differences between the British Protestant and the largely French Catholic communities are also provided.
Third, the author provides some maps and numerous reproductions of paintings or photographs of the people she describes. These allow me to visualize the people and places with ease.
Finally, her prose is largely composed of direct and declarative sentences. This style makes the narrative quite readable.
The only thing I can criticize Many Tender Ties for is that occasionally Van Kirk’s detailed and textured descriptions are a bit excessive. Ie, these can be too much of a good thing. Overall, however, this is a highly informative and engaging work of scholarship that I would highly recommend for anyone interested in indigenous studies.
Second, she integrates all of this information into careful and thorough analyses of the ways in which women’s roles evolved from 1670-1870. Each chapter covers one element of this history in a systematic way. Examples of specific situations and/or notable people make for nuanced descriptions. Additionally, quotations are inserted in a timely way so as to elaborate on the points being made. While doing all of this she offers comparisons between the culture of the Hudson Bay Company versus that of the North West Company. Similarities and differences between the British Protestant and the largely French Catholic communities are also provided.
Third, the author provides some maps and numerous reproductions of paintings or photographs of the people she describes. These allow me to visualize the people and places with ease.
Finally, her prose is largely composed of direct and declarative sentences. This style makes the narrative quite readable.
The only thing I can criticize Many Tender Ties for is that occasionally Van Kirk’s detailed and textured descriptions are a bit excessive. Ie, these can be too much of a good thing. Overall, however, this is a highly informative and engaging work of scholarship that I would highly recommend for anyone interested in indigenous studies.
February 11, 2020
Many years ago I read a book entitled "When Jesus Came, the Corn Mothers Went Away: Marriage, Sexuality, and Power in New Mexico 1500-1846." it was an academic study of the Spanish "military/religious conquest" of the American Southwest. Much of the work deals with the relationship between the Spanish and the native population and the inherent racism of conquerors. "Many Tender Ties" deals with European conquest of a somewhat different sort. When fur traders first encountered native populations they found it advantageous to have a 'local' woman to help them with business and survival. In the manner of native marriages they would negotiate with the intended's family and pay a bride price. A majority of the fur traders entering into these long term relationships considered themselves married. Unfortunately along came the missionaries preaching that only marriages sanctified by the church were real marriages. As time went on men without experience in the land came with their 'Victorian' ideas and women from the old country who considered themselves far above the mixed-blood members of Fur-Trade society. Thus racism rose its ugly head.
July 24, 2020
The complex and changing roles of women in pre-colonial but post-contact societies seem to be the same in many places. The honour and respect of early relationships, where, in this instance white fur traders relied on the support of the first nations people was changed by the arrival of white women in the area of Rupert's Land. Rivalry between women by race and class had negative impacts, even though all women were limited by the roles they were expected to fulfil.
There is only a hint of the difference between the strong ties of the Scottish/Anglo fur traders with the "motherland" that led to the eventual suppression of the "Indian" heritage of the resulting mixed families and the ties of the French trader families that emphasized the maternal culture and led to the development of a strong Metis heritage. It would be interesting to hear more about that.
This book was published in 1980, and some of the language is now outdated
There is only a hint of the difference between the strong ties of the Scottish/Anglo fur traders with the "motherland" that led to the eventual suppression of the "Indian" heritage of the resulting mixed families and the ties of the French trader families that emphasized the maternal culture and led to the development of a strong Metis heritage. It would be interesting to hear more about that.
This book was published in 1980, and some of the language is now outdated
December 16, 2020
Must read for anyone interested in a well-rounded history of America (specifically the Canadian Territories). The book chronicles the history and impact of women in the fur trade from 1670. At first, men took indigenous wives who were essential to the physical and political success of the trade. The dynamic changed as there were numerous mixed-race girls/women available for marriage. But when white women from England appeared in the 19th century, all women lost status and freedom as Victorian values were imposed on the region.
Engagingly written so it reads quickly an enjoyably.
Engagingly written so it reads quickly an enjoyably.
January 19, 2022
This was a very informative book on the women of the fur trade. I was interesting to learn that there were no prejudices against the Indians until the White Women appeared. Even though their stay in the bush was short lived.
November 15, 2023
Here's my reading response to this book, warning i skimmed this book
Quite a few of the books we have read in this class were loosely fiction. We spent some time in class talking about how that made them more accessible to a wide audience as the books were entertaining, yet this sacrifices accuracy. This book does not have this problem as it is not fiction like the others and prioritizes accuracy in its story. I would argue that this book is definitely geared towards scholars, as it struggled to hold my attention. I would not say that this book is one that would get me into studying Native history. That being said, the book still gives smaller stories and examples that make the book more digestible while still being accurate.
Some parts of the book felt very repetitive, specifically the first two chapters. The author points out many times that marriage is an economic alliance and power move between two groups of people. While the author provided many examples and explanations of this concept, it was thoroughly discussed about three or four times. I understand that this is the crux of her book, but it fels as if she was creating nuance that was not there. I would have enjoyed the book more if the author had gotten to the point faster.
The most interesting parts of the book to me was the discussion about the roles of family and women and how they shaped the fur trade on page 52, saying “The potent interaction of the attitudes and needs of both races… white women would have been.” This author particularity points out the increased importance of “Indian” women in the absence of white women which gives the “Indian” wife more power and importance than just sex. The beginning of the book discusses the misconception that being a woman in the fur trade society was bad or a position in a lack of power. This part truly shows the ability of women to take advantage of power when opportunity presents and how women’s position in the fur trade was an honorable and respectable role.
The thing I enjoyed so much about this part of the book is how these ideas still hold true today. While this should not be the case where women have to find and take advantage of opportunities, there should be equitable opportunity (but thats a problem for another paper), many times this is the case. Its both refreshing and frustrating to see that this pattern was occurring so long ago. On one hand, seeing the endurace and strength of women is inspiring, on the other, it is sad to see how little progress has been made in creating spaces for women in society.
I also thoroughly enjoyed the ending, as one commentor on goodreads said “There's Real Housewives of Manitoba energy here.” I would be inclined to agree with that statement. The ending was written in such an interesting way that I felt as if I still understood what the author was saying while also enjoying the book and really feeling the emotions. I wish the whole book had been written like this (but I also acknowledge that some of this stems from the content towards the end.)
I think the overall topic of the book is very interesting, looking at the changing marital patterns over 200 years and the role women held, but the information was delivered in the wrong way for me. I would have preferred a The Orenda style book where we have characters and a plot, or just a scholarly paper that gets to the point relatively quickly.
Quite a few of the books we have read in this class were loosely fiction. We spent some time in class talking about how that made them more accessible to a wide audience as the books were entertaining, yet this sacrifices accuracy. This book does not have this problem as it is not fiction like the others and prioritizes accuracy in its story. I would argue that this book is definitely geared towards scholars, as it struggled to hold my attention. I would not say that this book is one that would get me into studying Native history. That being said, the book still gives smaller stories and examples that make the book more digestible while still being accurate.
Some parts of the book felt very repetitive, specifically the first two chapters. The author points out many times that marriage is an economic alliance and power move between two groups of people. While the author provided many examples and explanations of this concept, it was thoroughly discussed about three or four times. I understand that this is the crux of her book, but it fels as if she was creating nuance that was not there. I would have enjoyed the book more if the author had gotten to the point faster.
The most interesting parts of the book to me was the discussion about the roles of family and women and how they shaped the fur trade on page 52, saying “The potent interaction of the attitudes and needs of both races… white women would have been.” This author particularity points out the increased importance of “Indian” women in the absence of white women which gives the “Indian” wife more power and importance than just sex. The beginning of the book discusses the misconception that being a woman in the fur trade society was bad or a position in a lack of power. This part truly shows the ability of women to take advantage of power when opportunity presents and how women’s position in the fur trade was an honorable and respectable role.
The thing I enjoyed so much about this part of the book is how these ideas still hold true today. While this should not be the case where women have to find and take advantage of opportunities, there should be equitable opportunity (but thats a problem for another paper), many times this is the case. Its both refreshing and frustrating to see that this pattern was occurring so long ago. On one hand, seeing the endurace and strength of women is inspiring, on the other, it is sad to see how little progress has been made in creating spaces for women in society.
I also thoroughly enjoyed the ending, as one commentor on goodreads said “There's Real Housewives of Manitoba energy here.” I would be inclined to agree with that statement. The ending was written in such an interesting way that I felt as if I still understood what the author was saying while also enjoying the book and really feeling the emotions. I wish the whole book had been written like this (but I also acknowledge that some of this stems from the content towards the end.)
I think the overall topic of the book is very interesting, looking at the changing marital patterns over 200 years and the role women held, but the information was delivered in the wrong way for me. I would have preferred a The Orenda style book where we have characters and a plot, or just a scholarly paper that gets to the point relatively quickly.
November 5, 2010
This is the first (of3) books required by my History of Women of the American West class. I actually enjoyed this book. Not so much on a pleasure level, but more of an interest level. It explained the great power Native American women had in the Canadian Fur Trade. In fact without them. thier skills and knowledge, the fur traders would never have survived!
The sad part of this book is that in marrying these white fur traders the men then changed the women into their ideals of Victorian females and stripped these strong and beautifully independent women of all of their strengths. This left the Native American women dependent on the white men. UGH!
As far as I'm concerned this is one of the great trageties in history!
The sad part of this book is that in marrying these white fur traders the men then changed the women into their ideals of Victorian females and stripped these strong and beautifully independent women of all of their strengths. This left the Native American women dependent on the white men. UGH!
As far as I'm concerned this is one of the great trageties in history!
February 17, 2012
Well, this was a book for school so it was as dry as you'd expect. Even with that I still got a lot out of it and found it genuinely interesting in a few places. As a required read for school it was better than most.
If you aren't in school, it might interest you if you like reading about the old west and what life was like for women in that time.
If you aren't in school, it might interest you if you like reading about the old west and what life was like for women in that time.
August 6, 2009
Van Kirk is amazing at piecing together the snapshot life stories of native, European, and bicultural women from what are fragmentary records of the British fur trade ventures. The book is a satisfying social history too but somebody needs to mine this for film scripts!
March 15, 2015
For helpful books about the Métis see my Amazon.com reviews http://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/...
May 11, 2025
"She was one of a Very high Spirit and of the Firmest Resolution that I ever see in any Body in my Days and of great Courage & forecast."
This was fascinating, and written very well!
This was fascinating, and written very well!
April 21, 2017
This was well researched and informative. I enjoyed each chapter.
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