What in culture are we looking at to set us apart from the rest of the world?
There was an article (blog post) with duolingo that really provides good information on the base systems of counting. (You can check it out here!) I wanted to explain counting and its importance to mathematical designs, programs, and life in general.
Counting began for Native Americans in atypical formations which regard direction, relation, and eco systems that traverse in language as entities of separation yet togetherness. The counting systems they used were modified verses after contact and extraction of language was needed as a commerce function but also as a political function for land negotiations. How did the Native Americans measure? Generally from one point on a physical plane with a hand span. They would stand in the same spot, hold out their hand, and measure the same field or stretch of land to compare elsewhere for distance. All were not singly counted but they were grouped. When it was time to count, it was referred to a certain point and that not many things were considered the same unless at a certain distance, and for time management, depending on the task.
This is an important logical function that has evolved over the years. The educational curriculum we learn from is foreign and it's ideas on counting systems refer to a different history whose documentation spans throughout many culture systems, which modified after contact, which further commerce in their own bartering and trade systems recounted money exchange rates by size of value within their money systems. It got very complex and bull-headed for change. They set a rate and they figured out how their money compared to be just that!
Native Americans and the Fur Trades were a little bit different in history of commerce and wealth exchanges. There was plenty of barter and trade systems in place without the ability to verify their value and other exchange for that good/service. One of the main historical wars we should recognize in our money systems would be what to you? To me, it would be the French Fur Trades. Many accounts have described them as unfairly matched because of the fineness, quality, health of the furs that were sold at affordable prices to be hiked up overseas. But the thing is, commerce is still like this today. They buy at an affordable rate the product to bring up prices somewhere else it would be considered new or imported goods - traveling sales seem to appease the global market purchase appetites. They have to ship it, while affording a crew and its amenities, and then sell it again. These as one product would not pay for itself for that journey so the price is fair. Native Americans were introduced to luxury.
At this point in history, many believed they were changing, losing an identity to what provided absolutely alone with sustenance - and that was true. It was now a culture system who inherited commerce actions with goods/services unbeknownst to them. This type of trade changed lifestyle but they had earned it in their trade commerce actions. The language, stories, agriculture, counting system up to this point are unchanged.
Counting System - Defining Currency
In Native American history, they have in museums small bits of shell, coins, and unique pressed metal to signify a value in re-creating the silver, bronze, copper, gold coins encountered with trade. Bringing global money to encounter their skillmanship brought different value systems to the original product which lightened up how they devalued their own currency exchange systems in America. They referred to a common or beginning exchange rate in money and based it from that source. By not allowing those original currency exchange rates to progress, they were valued the same, even if they were not in their usual encounters. This might be perceived as unjust for value if one currency exchange rate were higher than the original and were willing to pay more for it. That unfair exchange interpretation left the market open and worthless once it became too affordable. Whoever did those exchanges did not consider the demand rate or satisfaction in who held the money system they pushed to be overwhelmed by the purchase to not need it. The marketing of demand/sell was not executed properly in that exchange rate and the entire market for it fell.
This is important to note in history of Native American counting systems because it is describing a scope that is defining or firstly translating and winding up short-handing themselves. Native Americans have still not appeased global markets in product, services, or knowledge that was accepted or paid for. Currently, cultural knowledge is finely introducing themselves to the world with internet sensations and the everlasting light to shine down on them for being the only kind of people that do this type of craft or skill. It is bringing attention to the differences in cultural context and their language systems that are affected by it. Their customs, their expectations, their survivalship is different.
Small Examples Lead to Big Booms
We have a small peice of history that keeps our eyes closed to the world on further encounters. That traveling commerce history when re-learned from, brought a type of sadness to trust and peace within those exchanges. Technically, it taught the Native American currency exchange rate a valuable lesson - don't do currency exchange rates. They bartered products and goods at first. It was when services were involved that money began a new formation of their offerings in exchange. Money pays for how it is known - if the global system wants something in those currency exchanges then send a group of people to earn it. In those money systems of representatives and the labor force, we want something of their product, send your own people to earn it.
Nobody thought of this as a solution! Who would they send? Would they go? It would be Made By America products.
What new solutions can you arrive to with this example?
Do you know another counting system we haven't arrived to yet?
Cultural revival at this time is re-enacting these scenarios of history to be relived of oppression and find a new alternative interpretatuon of what that means or could mean today. None of it was sad back then, and it shouldn't be today. Oppression is learning through a scope (not your own) and feeling depreciated of your place in it because it is not your scope! This is a classic way of teaching based on the material of pride and prejudice that is satisfactory in your part of making America. Of heirloom knowledge that is able to bring many in that conclusion. It is commendable, but, I still want Native America to be a result in educational esteem with its own scope. We say its possible, but is it?
