Mahogany discussion

Mahogany: The Costs of Luxury in Early America embraces almost every aspect of commoditization we’ve studied this semester. Jennifer Anderson gives us a complete, meticulously researched history about this internationally acclaimed commodity. Narratives filled her book as readers begin to discover her characters’ personal connections with mahogany, be it the cabinetmakers, wealthy consumers, or most notably the slaves.

Although we’ve talked about slaves and lowly peasants who were often exploited for meager pay, Anderson describes working conditions as being vastly different for mahogany hunters. Slave owners needed expert help finding mahogany trees. They generally “entrusted this important task to a skilled slave designated as the “huntsman” who headed up each logging gang” (162). The woods were often treacherous places that required skill to navigate through unharmed. The most sophisticated slaves, usually the huntsman, often developed his own methods to hide mahogany groves in order to better his situation. For example, Anderson writes that once a slave finds mahogany, he has a bargaining chip. He could either relay the location to his master, or disclose that information to a competitor. Slave masters were aware of this practice and often “rewarded them with extra rations and time off in an effort to cultivate loyalty” (166). Other slaves in surrounding English settlements were able to use their knowledge of craftsmanship to forge boats in order to escape. It was almost impossible for the local magistrates to prevent runaway slaves.

While slavery was still rampant in these areas, it is important to note the deforestation that was taking place during this time as well. Of course today we know that sustainable natural forests are an important part of our ecosystem, but in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries deforestation was a non-issue. Anderson recounts stories of mahogany trees being cut down mercilessly in areas like Belize and Haiti. Replanting trees “depended solely on seeds harvested from the wild where they were increasingly scarce” (313). Unfortunately mahogany wasn’t successfully grown on a plantation until the twentieth century and even then don’t match the beauty that once was their wild counterparts (313). By exploring the deforestation and current conservation efforts, Anderson gives us a new perspective to mull over. In our first class, someone mentioned a commodity has to be scarce. Although I don’t agree with that, here is a good example of a commodity that has a limited availability that only declines over time.