There were hundreds, or maybe thousands, of different tribes in North America and elsewhere. The picture is they spent most of their time hanging around their teepees, and when they had a chance to get a buffalo, that's what they did. Or they packed up and went searching for a buffalo. No real use for money.
Today, practically every encounter we have involves money. And if you don't have money, you will become desperate and homeless in a short period of time. Do any of us know how to hunt for food ?
But maybe that's what we need for progress. Desperation and necessity are the mothers of invention. The need for money has made us progress.