A very
important time in the history of our world was the East Africa long distance
trade. In the middle of the 17th century, East Africa had a far more
important place in the world than other African countries. The riches of East
Africa were incomparably greater than those of the other African states.[1]
East African countries were the first African countries to be involved in long
distance trade. Long distance trade resulted in the development of partnership
between the rulers of European countries and those of Africa who saw each other
as equals. Some of the earliest European visitors to Africa recognized that
many African societies were as advanced or even more advanced than their own.[2]
In the early 16th century, the Portuguese trader Duarte Barboosa
stayed of the East African city Kilwa. There were many fair houses of stone and
mortar, well arranged streets. Around it were streams and orchards with many
channels of sweet water. The inhabitants of Kilwa he reported, there were
finely clad in many rich garments of gold, silk, cotton and the women as well;
also with much gold and silver in chains bracelets, which they wore in their
legs and arms and many jeweled earrings in their ears.
Generally,
long distance trade in East Africa was the kind of trade which involved the
trading activities between the Swahili speaking people, Arabs and European
countries like France (taking slaves to work in the sugar plantation in Europe).
It was conducted through long caravan routes of East African interior states.
There were three main routes during the long distance trade. There was Southern
route which was mainly dominated by the Yao people, also Northern route which
was dominated by the Kamba and central route which was mainly dominated by the Nyamwezi
people from Tanganyika. The means of trade was based on barter trade (exchange
of goods by goods). The trade was conducted during the early 19th
century A.D. The major participants were involved the Swahili speaking people
of East Africa and Arabs. The commodities which were mostly involved for
exchange were guns powder, guns, clothes and beads from outside world. Ivory,
gold, silver, silk and slaves from East Africa.
State
is an organized community under one government, or forming part of a republic.[3]
State during the trade were controlled by African local chiefs, for stance in
central route under Nyamezi chiefdom, the chief were called Mirambo. The chiefs
were responsible for collecting tributes, maintaining peace of the society and
maintaining the welfare of the people. [4]
The trade
relation has been an international debate over 100 years. With most Economist
and Historians who believes that long distance trade was destructive to East
Africans economic, political and cultural systems. While other argues that long
distance trade was effectual to East Africans economic, political and cultural
systems. Therefore the following were the relationship between the long
distance trade and states formation on the transformation of East African
societies.
The
spread of Swahili language in the interior of the East Africa societies
especially alongside the trade routes. Swahili language was developed from the
coastal areas to the interior. Language
was the major means of communication, through this it was easy for the
local people tom organized and unites together to form the humble state. It
obviously that language has a power of uniting people of the same cultural
background together as the single unit. People formed one centralized state
under the kingship like Kabaka for protection and governance.
There
were development of the new towns and cites like Ujiji , Tabora. The growth of
towns and cities were mostly influenced by trade. There were construction of
the modern roads, houses for marketing and areas for recreation to mention only
few. As the facts many people shifted from their home and fled to town areas
for trading purpose. The massive influx of people in increased population in town. This facilitated
the formation of the state to provides
security to the local population against invades, hence the transformation of
the East African societies.
Trade
led to the development of the large political units based on military and
economic superiority. Notably the Mirambo of the Nyamwezi empire, Tipu-Tippu,
Nyungu Yamawe were the leaders who organized the societies to form one
centralized state. These political figures were the products of people who
controlled the trade activities and they participated fully during the trade
exchange. They provide security and controlled the local population. The leaders
were to facilitate the conquered of other weak states as an attempt to acquire
more land for the production activities. As a result of possessing large area
of land the society was able to engage in different economic activities such as
agriculture, trade itself and pastoralist, hence the transformation of East
African societies.
The
spread of Islam in the interior of East Africa from the costal area by Arabs
during the trade activities. The Arabs controlled the trade and in other hand
spread the Islamic religion. Religion brought peace, units and solidarity among
the people of East African societies. Thus people came together and form the
centralized states for the betterment of their society. The availability of
peace, solidarity and unity necessitate the transformation of the East African
societies.
New
crops were introduced in the interior such as rice, cassava, guavas and maize.
These crops were introduced by the people from the outside like Arabs and
Portuguese. New crops ensured the East African societies with high availability
of raw materials for food and exchange in trade. Many societies therefore grew
as possible because surplus production were ensured in the local population.
Thus the trade prosper and hence the transformation of the East African
societies.
The
rulers had an expansion policy over the weak states as an attempt to gain
control of the routes, markets and production areas notably Kabalega of
Bunyoro. Different states used guns and other iron weapons acquired from the
trade to conquer weak societies.[5]
More land were acquired which increased production activities and enhance the
trading activities during the trade. People migrates to the states with the
availability of big land and security thing which cause the population growth
and hence the transformation of East African societies to the next level of
development.
African
local chiefs acquired tributes in the trade caravan routes for stance Nyamwezi
in the central route got commodities and values from the traders. The traders
contributed some of their goods to the state as the part of the contribution on
using the trade route. The commodities like beads, clothes, and guns were
acquired during the long distance trade. The tributes helped the states
developments and transformation as for stance weapons helped for the security
and conquering other weak states.
Development
of agricultural activities which was mostly influenced by the development of
iron technology and introduction of the new crops such as cassava and rice.
Agriculture increased surplus production which provides materials for trading
exchange and food for the local population. Thus the development of the
agriculture enhance trading activities and development of the societies as well
as the transformation of the East African states, hence the development of the
complex societies governed by the single state.
The
trade led to the emergence of the specialization among the people in the
society. People were engaged in different activities such as the craftsmen and
artisans thing which provides different commodities for trade exchange. This
fact was very important during the trade because it enhance the trade
development since people exchange different commodities and values from other
societies which they could not produce. As the result many societies grew and
hence the transformation of the East African societies.
The
trade led to the interaction and intervention for the very first time between
the people of the East African societies and outside world. This gave the
opportunity of acquiring new experience in trading activities and relationship
with different races in the world. By doing so, the East African societies were
transformed to the global world of the interaction and intervention. Due to
this, formation of state and transformation were inevitable to the East African
societies during the trade.
Also,
there were increased of the population which was the result of the trade.
Surplus production and the migration of people from the rural to urban center
were increased. In the area such as Ujiji in Tabora (Nyamwezi chiefdom)
population were increased steadily due to the trading activities took place in
the area. The population transformed the societies into the complex social
system governed by the single state.
Generally,
the long distance trade associated with the state formation and transformation
of the East African societies where there were emergence of the towns, complex
societies and military base, strong leadership and advanced agricultural economy.
East African societies were automatically transformed to the new way of living.
In other hand, the trade relationship brought negative impacts to the local
population. Many people were taken to Europe and Asia as a slaves (loss of man
power), decline of the African traditional culture to mention only few. But
generally the trade put the foundation to the East African transformation and
development of the societies.Moreover, the tribes were not static and
unchanging as they have often been portrayed. Tribes were developing and
interacting.[6]
REFERENCES
E.S. Atieno Odhiambo,T.Louso &
J.F.M Williams,(1977). A History of East
Africa, Longman
Group Limited: China.
Karugire, A.R,(1980). A Political History of Uganda,
Nairobi, Heinemann
Education
Book.
Marsh, Z.A &Kingsnorth G.W,(1965). An Introduction to
the History of East
Africa,
University
Press: Cambridge.
Tarimo,E.J.(2004), An
Iintroduction to Africa History to 1880.
East Africa
Publishing
[1]
Marsh ,Z.A&Kingsnorth G.W,(1965). An Introduction to the History of East
Africa.University Press: Cambridge
[2]
Walter
[3]
Oxford
Dictionary 6th Edition
[4]
Karugire, A.R.(1980). A Political History of Uganda,
Nairobi.
Heinemann Education Book.
[5]
See A History of East
Affica(1997). Odhiambo, E.S Atieno, T.Louso
&J.F.M Williams.
1 comment:
Good Indeed ma brother,you have tried a lot.
The glory of God be with you
Ameeeeeeeeeen.........
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