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Show NAVAJO COUNTRY REBORN 145 the Navajos to his store, letting travelers camp there. Most important, he explained the government's plans for the Navajos. Without the trader, the government would have had even more difficulty in explaining and carrying out its plans. In return, of course, the Navajos gave the trader their business. They needed more things all the time, as their tastes for the outside world's material goods grew. Coffee, flour, and sugar were always in demand. The People had loved peaches since the old Canyon de Chelly days, and now the trader stocked them in cans. After a while, canned milk also became something of a staple. Hard goods like tools were special prizes. A pocket knife was a luxury. Some Navajos even bought axes and saws. As the Navajos cut and formed logs for building, and as old railroad ties came into use, hogan styles began to change. The many-sided hogan became common. The period saw changes in other styles, too. Cotton cloth and blankets sold well. The Navajos learned a new way of dressing. Yards of calico and muslin went home with Navajo women. The traders carried popular blankets that used traditional Navajo patterns but were made by an Oregon mill. Velveteen completed the trader's stock of fabrics. Sewing machines could also be bought. Navajos went to the trader for hardware like saddles, bridles, and harnesses. Kerosene lamps became common. Many farmers bought plows, and a fortunate few could even purchase wagons. Although the trader provided the Navajos with many goods and services, he was not there just to be generous. He profited well from the trade. As the Navajos' tastes for outside goods increased, so did the wealth of the traders, who had no competition for their local markets. When the Navajos could not afford the cash price, the traders gave credit or took jewelry or blankets as pawn. In this way, traders gained more control over each person's trade. While traders sold American goods to the Navajos, they also worked to develop an outside market for the things the People had to sell. The value of Navajo crafts rose quickly. Traders bought them from the craftsmen and then resold them, keeping the bulk of the profit for themselves, of course. Meanwhile, the money the craftsmen earned also ended up in the traders' hands, as it was spent at the trading posts for more American goods. Textiles were the chief items in the trade. Wool had always been a welcome product. Now, the Navajos found, the products of their looms could also bring a good price. |