Here in Louisiana, I have found a number of late-19th century tokens. Most of
them seem to come from sugar plantations and lumber companies. Perhaps you
know this already, but workers were often paid in tokens rather than money -
tokens which were only good at the company store. The issues of power
and economic control are obvious.
Interestingly, not a few of these tokens are pierced, to be worn as amulets.
Here where mojo and gris-gris are still used, the use was probably
magical/medicinal. The post-processual question is, did the wearer care what
the former significance of the token was (as a token of debt-peonage?) in its
adapted use?
-- Shannon Dawdy
Greater New Orleans Archaeology Program
University of New Orleans
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