The effect of trading increased the influence of chiefs over their . Northern traders assumed that the chief was the organisational head of the and all trade went through him including payments for goods purchased. This gave chiefs much more influence, especially after 1835, because trade was so regular. In pre-contact times the power of chiefs was never very great, largely being restricted to directing warfare. Early European observers noted that at and (meetings) every person, including women, had their say and the chief had no more influence than any other person on the final decision. Where a chief had great , especially powers of persuasion, chiefs had more influence because of their personality rather than any recognised authority.