The idea of “Middle Ground” or “Native Ground” is relatively new to me. However, I have been interested in the idea of trade during the time and the fact that the Great Lakes were one of the main routes of trade. the method of adaptation from the Europeans after seeing the way that Natives traded really came as a benefit for them as they were able to trade goods for the fur that Native Americans would have. The idea of using this fur as a method of manufacturing items for those in power was very interesting. This “collaboration” as it is mentioned nowadays is seen with the outfits that seem to be inspired by Native Americans but adding European accents to them in order to make it a new image. The idea of trade itself is very interesting. Using the outfits and the clothes that is being made and used for trade itself can be seen to expand all over the world, for example, the idea that was mentioned in “Global Trade and an 18th-century Anishinaabe Outfit” where they mention the way that all this stuff is done, going from India, Britain, and the New World. The movement of trading was able to open a lot of doors for innovations that ultimately helped other cultures to grow into these new findings and also have a stable relation with other nations.
The method of transport being the lake was very interesting, since many of the Native American groups tend to stay in areas close to the water bed for the production of consumables that they need to maintain a living was fascinating. Knowing that at the time, transportation on land was risky because the land wasn’t well known, using water would be an easier option since it eventually led to a tribe that would create a connection and therefore, a new tribe to trade with.
This all adds up to the idea of having control in some sense, while these tribes had a tendency to have the fur and were able to hunt and know the area, they were able to trade that fur that was used as a luxury for the European while maintaining their independence and being able to also gain from the Europeans themselves. Many of the materials that have still been maintained to this day can be seen to be important information because we are able to see a physical representation of what was made with these trades, the fur trade created an interest in luxury and knowing tribes who were able to offer them fur in order to maintain their need of clothes. Maintaining this information is relevant to the idea and creates a way of art that can be interpreted in many ways.