The Evolution Of The Tlingit Indian Economy

138 Words1 Pages
The economy of the Tlingit Indians was originally based on trade. They traded food, furs, canoes, shells, fish oil, and Chilkat robes with other tribes. The Chilkat robe cost approximately $30 in the mid-1800s. The only items that came close to the Chilkat robe’s value were caribou hides, copper, and guns. In the 1900s, Tlingit Indians started to work in canneries, basing their economy on wages and fishing (Malinowski, Sheets, Schmittroth 1268). The Tlingit Indians’ economy evolved from trading based to more of a wage based economy. The Tlingit Indians have adapted to the present day American life style. With these adaptations, Tlingit Indians now work in logging and forestry, fishing, tourism, and other industries. Many also earn wages