Adams] 



SHONTO: ROLE OF NAVAHO TRADER 



199 



evidence that they do not intend to do so. Otherwise they are simply 

 reminded on every conceivable opportunity that they have an account 

 to be settled, and the same sort of coercion is brought to bear as in the 

 case of book credit collection (see pp. 188-195). By careful manage- 

 ment and adherence to this policy only three pieces of dead pawn were 

 actually sold out of Shonto Trading Post between 1953 and 1956. 



DIRECT EXCHANGE 



Direct across-the-counter exchange of consumer goods for commodi- 

 ties, once the backbone of the Navaho trade (cf . Amsden, 1934, p. 178) , 

 has dwindled to such an extent that it now accounts for only about 

 10 percent of Shonto's total annual gross (tables 30 and 31). 



The commodity trade of Navaho trading posts has been referred 

 to consistently as barter (e.g. Franciscan Fathers, 1910, pp. 489-490; 

 Amsden, 1934, p. 178). In a purely technical sense this designation is 

 correct, but the term often carries connotations which have led to 

 popular misunderstanding of the nature of the exchange involved. To 

 begin with, there is not and has not been for many years any haggling 

 over prices in the Navaho commodity trade. All items are bought 

 by quality and/or quantity according to fixed, pre-announced unit 

 prices. Furthermore, all exchanges are based on cash valuation and 

 not on valuation in equivalent goods, a policy which allows for free 

 price adjustments (see Franciscan Fathers, 1910, p. 490). A double 

 saddle blanket, for example, is not valued at 50 pounds of flour, 10 

 pounds of sugar, and 2 pounds of coffee (contrast Amsden, 1934, p. 

 178) ; it is valued at $8.00, which may be received in any such goods 

 as the seller desires, or applied on account, or both. 



Commodities which are bartered (as well as sold in some cases) 

 at Shonto Trading Post are livestock products, native crafts, and 

 piiion nuts (see also "Commodity Exchange," pp. 172-175). Proce- 

 dures and 1955 prices involved in handling these items are set forth in 

 summary form in table 34. 



Table 34. — Systems of direct commodity exchange at Shonto Trading Post 



'I.e., not more than 50 percent in cash, remainder in merchandise. 



