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How did Native peoples transport goods before horses were introduced?

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A dancer in a bright pink shawl with fringe, wearing traditional regalia adorned with blue and black accents, performs at an outdoor cultural event. — Native American November is the traditional time of harvest, gathering, and celebration in Native communities.

Before the introduction of horses, Indigenous peoples in North America utilized a variety of methods to transport goods, relying heavily on human labor and water navigation.

Travois: This was a primary land-based transport vehicle consisting of two trailing poles that served as shafts, bearing a platform or net to hold a load. Before horses were available, these were typically pulled by people or dogs.12
Watercraft: Rivers and lakes were essential transportation corridors. Indigenous peoples used various watercraft, such as bullboats—created by stretching bison skin over a willow framework—to transport large quantities of meat or trade goods downstream.34
Human Portability: In many regions, goods were carried by hand or in containers made from natural materials. For example, rawhide, leather, and animal parts like the pericardium were used to create durable, collapsible buckets for carrying supplies.4

These methods allowed for extensive trade networks across the continent, facilitating the exchange of goods between nomadic groups and village-based societies long before the arrival of the horse.4