“There is a Beast They Call Aroughcun”: Raccoons and Colonialism in Early America

Résumé 0

The commodification of animals as pelt was foundational to the economic success of the colonial project(s) in North America. At the same time, it signified a point of convergence and contention between English and French settlers and Native peoples of the Northeastern and Great Lakes regions of the continent: Most prominently, the Beaver Wars (1603-1701) represent great conflict arising from colonial presence, colonial economic interests, and complex trade relations between Native peoples and colonizers. The fur trade remained central to the North American economy well into the late nineteenth century. In this article, I trace the raccoon in the context of colonialism along lines of race, class, and Anglo-European notions of civilization. I focus primarily on early natural histories and travelogues as well as on historical documents concerning the fur trade of America to uncover how the raccoon and their pelt served as a vehicle for colonial mechanisms of Othering.