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Fur Traders, Voyageurs, and Coureurs des Bois: Economic Masculinities in French Canadian Fur Trade Society
Abstract
Over the course of the seventeenth century, explorers who traversed the wilderness of New France embodied such masculine characteristics as courage, strength and military prowess. These figures such as Samuel de Champlain engaged native men as allies in warfare and the burgeoning fur trade. As the fur trade increasing defined relationships between the French and Native Americans over the subsequent decades, new masculinities emerged. Three distinct masculinities developed all associated with various aspects of the fur trade, but vastly different from one another. This article argues that the advent and potential wealth of the fur trade displaced rugged, explorer masculinity in favor of these three new masculinities: fur trader, voyageur, and coureurs des bois. Fur traders made vast fortunes as the elite businessmen who transported and profited from the sale of furs in the Atlantic. Voyageurs relied heavily upon native constructions of masculinity, but retained a partial identity in French civilization. Coureurs des bois lived wholly in native society, eschewing French society in favor of indigenous habits and customs and often taking native wives. Though the coureurs des bois and voyageurs retained a respect and understanding of native culture, the elite fur trade increasingly distanced himself from native tribes and instead reflected a paternalistic attitude toward Native American men, infantilizing them while exploiting them for economic gain. Collaboration and mutual camaraderie disappeared from interactions between elites of New France and their indigenous brethren
Keywords
Details
Primary Language
English
Subjects
-
Journal Section
Conference Paper
Publication Date
August 5, 2016
Submission Date
August 5, 2016
Acceptance Date
-
Published in Issue
Year 2014 Number: 1
APA
Fur Traders, Voyageurs, and Coureurs des Bois: Economic Masculinities in French Canadian Fur Trade Society. (2016). Masculinities: A Journal of Identity and Culture, 1, 92-119. https://izlik.org/JA35HU78BY
AMA
1.Fur Traders, Voyageurs, and Coureurs des Bois: Economic Masculinities in French Canadian Fur Trade Society. Masculinities Journal. 2016;(1):92-119. https://izlik.org/JA35HU78BY
Chicago
“Fur Traders, Voyageurs, and Coureurs Des Bois: Economic Masculinities in French Canadian Fur Trade Society”. 2016. Masculinities: A Journal of Identity and Culture, no. 1: 92-119. https://izlik.org/JA35HU78BY.
EndNote
(August 1, 2016) Fur Traders, Voyageurs, and Coureurs des Bois: Economic Masculinities in French Canadian Fur Trade Society. Masculinities: A Journal of Identity and Culture 1 92–119.
IEEE
[1]“Fur Traders, Voyageurs, and Coureurs des Bois: Economic Masculinities in French Canadian Fur Trade Society”, Masculinities Journal, no. 1, pp. 92–119, Aug. 2016, [Online]. Available: https://izlik.org/JA35HU78BY
ISNAD
“Fur Traders, Voyageurs, and Coureurs Des Bois: Economic Masculinities in French Canadian Fur Trade Society”. Masculinities: A Journal of Identity and Culture. 1 (August 1, 2016): 92-119. https://izlik.org/JA35HU78BY.
JAMA
1.Fur Traders, Voyageurs, and Coureurs des Bois: Economic Masculinities in French Canadian Fur Trade Society. Masculinities Journal. 2016;:92–119.
MLA
“Fur Traders, Voyageurs, and Coureurs Des Bois: Economic Masculinities in French Canadian Fur Trade Society”. Masculinities: A Journal of Identity and Culture, no. 1, Aug. 2016, pp. 92-119, https://izlik.org/JA35HU78BY.
Vancouver
1.Fur Traders, Voyageurs, and Coureurs des Bois: Economic Masculinities in French Canadian Fur Trade Society. Masculinities Journal [Internet]. 2016 Aug. 1;(1):92-119. Available from: https://izlik.org/JA35HU78BY