INTERATION AMONG THE PRE-COLONIAL PEOPLE OF AFRICA
What is interaction?
Interaction: Is the situation or way in which one community came into contact with another community. However the interaction among the African communities was stimulated by people's struggle to meet their daily requirements for further social and economic development.
Before colonialism African communities had already conducted social and economic interactions with communities from different parts of the world both within Africa and even out side African continent. Example during the commercial contact between Africa and people from middle and far east even before 7th century. A good example of African interaction is Ngoni migration where Nguni Bantu speakers had moved from south Africa towards the central and east Africa by the 19th Century.
TYPES OF INTERACTION AMONG AFRICAN SOCIETIES
i. Social interaction.
ii. Economic interaction.
1. SOCIAL INTERACTION
Social interaction: Was the type of interaction among the African societies which was stimulated by social factors. Normally under this context African communites were interacted because of social motives such as migration, religion, war, music, medicine and marriage.
FACTORS CONTRIBUTED TO SOCIAL TERACTION AMONG AFRICAN
There are various factors which had stimulated social interaction among the African societies which were:-
i. Migrations.
ii. Wars.
iii. Medicines
iv. Music and dances.
v. Religions.
vi. Marriages.
vii. Social crimes.
viii. Famine.
1. MIGRATION
Migration: Is the movement of people from one place (geographical area) to another place (geographical area) for either for temporary or permanent change of residences.
Migration has stimulated interaction among the African societies which was casused by different factors like war, over population, changing in environment, farmine and other natural calamitiea like drought, floods, earth quakes. Example there were different archaeological evidences that show the presence of diffrerent pottery from different areas. These pottery is known as Urewe in the lake zone, Lelesu in in central Tanzania and Kwale in east African coast. Threfore through migration become possible society lived in difderent area to meet togather. Example during Ngoni migration.
Factors which contributed to community migration during the pre-colonial Africa
i. War.
ii. Population increase.
iii. Changing in environment.
iv. Natural calamities. These include diseases, floods, earth quakes, droughts, etc.
v. The nature of economic activites among the African socieaties.
The influence/contributions of migration to the interaction among African societies
i. It led to the emergence of trade.
ii. It has contributed to population increase among the African societies.
iii. It has led to social differentiation/emergence of classes.
iv it has motivated the development of iron technology, due to population increase.
v. It has contributed to high need for land, due to population increase.
vi. It has contributed to agriculture development in some communities, due to population increase caused by immigration.
vii. it has led to the emergence of state organization due to population increase in some areas.
THE NATURE OF EAST AFRICAN SOCIETIES
East African communities belongs to four main language groups which were:-
i. The Khoisan.
ii. The Cushites
iii. The Nilotes.
iv. The Bantu.
Historical evidences show that the earliest inhabitants of East Africa were of Khoisan who were originated from south Africa. Khoisan were the combination between San and Khoikhoi. Their speech is described as “ click ” sound which was usually similar to the language of present day KhoiKhoi and San (Khoisan) of South Africa. They were nomadic hunters and gathers. These early large groups interacted with the larger Cushites, Bantu and the Nilotes communities that began settling in East Africa from the first century A.D.
The remnants of them include Sandawe and Hadzabe of Tanzania and the Okiek (Dorobo) of Kenya. The origin home kind of the Nilotes was in the Nile valley in Sudan. Some Bantu communities of East Africa included Nyamwezi, Sukuma, Chagga and Pare of Tanzania, kikuyu, Kamba. Luhya of Kenya and Baganda, Basoga and Banyoro of Uganda.
2. MIGRATION
Religion: is the system of believe in the existence of God or gods. Normally religion played a crucial role to the interaction in all African societies. Religious beliefs were taken seriously and affected every phase of African life.
There was a variety of religious activities practiced in pre-colonial African societies which were normally differ from one community to another. These included burial rituals, purifications rituals, naming ceremonies and prayers to bless soldiers before they went to war.
Religious activities took place at different levels such as family level, clan level and community level. Example: The Bushmen of Congo held prayers before going to hunt as they believed that God was the source of all foods. Among the Asante people of West Africa the king of Asante (Asantehene) based his right to office on the possession of the Royal or Golden stool, Asantehene was regarded as the chief priest. Natural cults also existed in many parts of Africa.
The main aim was to please the spirits and legendary heroes. Example the Shona and Juju of Zimbabwe practiced in Western Africa the Shona held a cult called Mwani. The king of Shona (Mwanamtapa) was regarded as doctrine.
The influence/contributions of religion to the interaction among African societies
i. It has led to the emergence of trade.
ii. It has contributed to population increase among the African societies.
iii. It has led to social differentiation/emergence of classes.
iv. It has led to the emergence of state organization. Example Mali empire, Sokoto caliphate and Mandika empire in west Africa.
v. It has contributed to agriculture development in some communities.
vi. It has influenced people's interaction through migration.
3. WARS
Wars: is the military or and active confrontation between two parts or groups. Normally African communities engaged in wars from different time, they fought for various reasons such as to increase the number of the herds of livestock, to get fertile land for agriculture and expansion of the kingdom. Example: Buganda conquered Buddu, Karagwe, Busoga and Bunyoro to expand their kingdom by 1839. Egyptian army had established their base at Gondokora the area located around Southern Khartoum and by 1869, Egyptian had raided and destroyed the Lango and Ancholi religion in the modern day Uganda. Example Mfecane war in south Africa.
How wars stimulated/contributed to interaction among the African societies?
i. It has led to migration among people.
ii. It has led to separation of families.
iii. It has led to expansion of kingdom in different parts of Africa. Example Zulu kingdom.
iv. It has destroyed peace among African societies. Example during the Mefecane wars in south Africa.
v. It brought famine and hunger.
vi. Death of people.
4. MUSIC AND DANCE
Music and dances: Pre-colonial African societies they had developed in music and dances which were normally differ from one community to another, each community had its own type of traditional dances which was determined by culture of the given community.
African music and dances brought people together, communities’ rites and ceremonies were accompanied by songs and dances. Every African society developed songs for work, Labourers sang while clearing fields, sowing and harvesting goods example of dances were Mdundiko among the Zaramo and Sindimba of Makonde.
The Yomba of West Africa performed Orik music where by other songs praised or condemned certain characteristics including leadership and relation with neighbours. Dance were also performed for different purposes, some dance were open to everyone while others restricted to a certain secret society professional and artisans example Chagga men and women performed a dance called Rring during wedding ceremonies and Luguru led their dance called Gubi.
How music and dances contributed to interaction among African societies?
i. It has attracted high population through migration.
ii. It has led to cooperation among the communities.
iii. It has expanded political organization among African societies.
4. MEDICINE
Medicine: The pre-colonial African societies had medicine men and women who played important role both spiritually and medically. Those who practice medicine interacted with many members of the society as patient visited some of the well known medicine men and women.
Some medicine men and women were also political advisors and leaders example Kinjekitile Ngwale of Southern Tanzania most of the medicine were extracted from plant roots, barks and leaves. Example the (neem tree) Mwarobaini is mostly used by various medicine in Matebele.
How the medicine contributed to interaction among African societies?
i. It contributed to population increase.
ii. It has expanded state organization.
iii. It has strengthened unity among the African societies.
iv. It has influenced immigration of people in to different parts.
5. MARIAGES
Marriages: Marriage occupies a position of great importance in African communities. Every member of the society jugs to build their own family. In Buganda the Kabaka married to estimated 36 families from different clans in order to enhance political unity in the kingdom. Therefore social interactions strengthened through marriage. At the same time marriage led to emergence of new culture examples Swahili culture as the result of mixture of Bantu and Arab culture.
How the marriages contributed to social interaction among African societies?
i. It has encouraged political unity.
ii. It has attracted high population.
iii. It has stimulated cooperation among African societies.
iv. It has expanded trading activities.
IMPACTS/EFFECTS/CONSEQUENCES OF SOCIAL INTERACTION
1. Loss of originality among African society emergence the process of migrations and trade interactions people moved from one place of their origin to various destinations, through this interactions probably there was interactions of new values, customs and beliefs.
2. It has led to the emergence of new language: As people of different languages like Bantu, Nilotes and Khoisan meet with other groups; they developed new languages which were based on those new related groups of Swahili language developed in East Africa having most of the Bantu vocabularies.
3. It has led to intermarriage among the different communities: When people moved from their original areas and established settlement in new areas they got married with the natures and established new social relations. These involved social conflicts since people were united together.
4. It has led to population increase: The places which were attractive for people ’ s settlements become highly populated. Those regions immigration was common than emigration.
5. It has led to depopulation in some communities: Normally social interaction resulted in to depopulation through migration edpecially those places where people were fleed.
6. It has led to availability of new goods: Social interaction has contributed to the availability of new goods in some areas brought by new communities from different places, example weapons.
7. Expansion of technology: Social interaction among the African societies resulted in to expansion of technology among the African societies especially iron technology for making weapons.
2. ECONOMIC INTERACTION
Economic interaction: was the type of pre-colonial African interaction which was largely influnced by the economic factors. Africa communities also interacted due to economic factors such as crafts, trade, farming and pastoralism.
FACTORS CONTRIBUTED TO ECONOMIC INTERACTION AMONG THE AFRICANS
1. IRON WORKING
Iron working: African communities used various kinds of metal to make tools, weapons, utensil and ornaments, some of the widely used metals were iron, Bronze, Gold, Copper and tin. Archaeologists have discovered the remains of early in working beneath important religious shrine in the Great lakes religion dating back over 2,000 years ago.
Egyptians were the first people known to have used copper; Benin the Bronze casters had guild called Igun Eronwon through making various metal tools people interacted due to the need of the commodities through interactions.
2. AGRICULTURE
Agriculture: Many Africans communities practiced agriculture and different types of interaction took place in the process. Apart from few communities such as the pastoral Maasai who never tilled land, other communities cultivated a variety of crops by using different farming methods, tools and crops were passed from one community to another. The Kwari who were purely pastoral community eventually became cultivators as the results they interacted with agricultural societies.
The influence/contributions of agriculture to the interaction among African societies
i. It has led to the emergence of trade.
ii. It has contributed to population increase among the African societies.
iii. It has led to social differentiation/emergence of classes. iv it has led to the emergence of state organization.
v. It has contributed to migration.
3. FISHING
Fishing: Was an economic activity that was practiced by communities that lived near water bodies such as lakes, rivers and the seas. The Luo were and still are named fishermen in Pre-colonial East Africa the Ndengereko's fished in the river Rufiji while the Zaramo and other coastal people in the Indian Ocean, such fishing communities interacted with pastoral and agriculturalist so as to acquire animal product and agricultural commodities.
The influence/contributions of fishing to the interaction among African societies
i. It has led to the emergence of trade.
ii. It has contributed to population increase among the African societies.
iii. It has led to the emergence of classes.
iv it has led to the emergence of state organization.
v. It has contributed to migration.
4. TRADE
Trade conducted in pre–colonial period was in barter system, the trade network was based on the need to access what a community didn’t produce. Example pastoralists exchanged their animals’ products for vegetable and grains.
The limbo clans among the Luo specialized in occupation such as iron working and pottery. Between 8 th – 16 th C. AD community from the Sudanic belt engaged in trade with the communities from north Africa in the Trans – Sahara trade. Among the most important commodities of exchange were iron, gold, slaves and salts.
The influence/contributions of trade to the interaction among African societies
i. It has to the development of trading activities.
ii. It has contributed to population increase among the African societies.
iii. It has led to the emergence of classes.
iv it has led to the emergence of state organization.
v. It has contributed to migration.
5. THE NEED FOR NEW AREAS
Areas with fertile land and reliable rainfall were very attractive to the people within the regions or those coming from outside the regions. Agricultural societies kept on shifting from the area with infertile soil to areas with fertile soil; examples in the interlacustrine regions were densely populated compared to areas like Central Tanzania and Northern part of Kenya where population was low.
How the need for new areas contributed to interaction among the African societies?
i. It has to the development of trading activities.
ii. It has contributed to population increase among the African societies. iii.it has led to the emergence of state organization.
iv. It has contributed to migration. Example during the period of Ngoni migration.
6. HANDCRAFT INDUSTRIES
Handcraft activities: these were pre-colonial industrial activities such as clothes making industries, waving industries and other so many activities attracted many communities in to contact with another communities.
The influence/contributions of handcraft industries to the interaction among African societies
i. It has to the development of trading activities.
ii. It has contributed to population increase among the African societies.
iii. It has led to the emergence of classes.
iv it has led to the emergence of state organization.
v. It has contributed to migration.
vi. It has increased agriculture production.
A SKETCH MAP SHOWING INTERACTIONS AMONG THE PEOPLE OF AFRICA
IMPACTS OF ECONOMIC INTERACTION
1. Growth of towns and cities: Trading activities stimulated the emergence of urban centers along the trade natures and centers. Areas that produced trade commodities in West, North and East Africa become remarkable urban center; example Taghaza, Timbuktu, Gao, Kumbisaleh in West Africa, Alex and Rial in Tripoli and Cairo in north Africa, Malindi, Mombasa. Bagamoyo, Zanzibar, Tabora and Ujiji in East Africa.
2. Exposure of Africa to the external world: The African coast and interior areas were invalided to the outside world. People were engaged in trading activities and slowly they created trading contacts with the Europeans. African was producing goods that were observed by the outside world.
3. Intensification of agricultural production: Due to good manufacturing and use of better tools and high demands of food stuffs; cash crops and animals products became very important among Africans.
4. Development of technical skills and new areas: Trading activities stimulated the emergency and growth of technical skills. Africans were able to process gold, iron smelting and cloth making.
5. Over exploitation of African resources: Trade items such as ivory, gold, copper and animals skins, supplied within African and later to outside world. Later on those resources were highly demanded by the outside world like Asia and Europe. Therefore traders take them to outside world of large quantities.
6. The decrease of manpower: Many people in the Western Sudan and East Africa interior were captured as slaves to meet the high demands of slaves by long distance and Trans-Saharan trade.
7. Emergence of classes: The interactions of people on Africa resulted into classes of rich and poor; those who engaged in trade and agricultural activities became economically powerful than those who did not engaged in these activities.
3. THE COMING OF THE NGONI IN EAST AFRICA/ NGONI MIGRATION
Ngoni migration: was the movement of Ngoni Bantu speaking people from the south Africa specifically KwaZulu Natal region towards the central and east Africa. However Ngoni were people originated in Kwazulu land and Natal region in the sent by the public of South Africa.
Ngoni are the one who speak Nguni language in the 19 th century; Zulu kingdom got new king called Tshaka. Tshaka through frequent war campaigns succeeded to expand his empire. The tribe defeated by Tshaka was recruited into his military service. Through this contradiction many other tribes fled northward to Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Malawi and Zambia. Due to contradictions and political ambition Tshaka was assassinated by his brother Dingane 1828.
Groups of Ngoni
Ngoni Bantu speakers were categorized in various groups such as:-
i). One group under Mputa Maseko crossed Zambezi River and passed to Eastern side of Lake Malawi (Nyasa) finally settled in present day Songea district.
ii). The second group was under Zwangedaba started the movement from south africa from river Rimpopo. This groups reached and settled in Ufipa, and in the areas of Lake Nyasa in 1840. Hence Zwangedaba died in 1845.
iii. The Ndebele under mzirikazi found their settlement in present day Zimbabwe.
iv. The Kololo under Swebatwane migrated north and built Lozi kingdom a centralized state.
However the Ngoni people were predominantly agriculturalists and pastoralists therefore in order to protect their traditional way of life they decided to move northwards to central and Eastern Africa.
FACTORS WHICH STIMULATED NGONI MIGRATION IN 19TH CENTURY
1. The mfecane war: This was the period of political instability and upheavals in South Africa which led to the creation of political alliances among the displaced communities. It covered the period 1820 – 1834 which referred as war of crushing the people. The war was narrated by the Ngoni as Ufuaru which meant the crushing and it was named as Difaune. As a result of this contradiction wide warrior divided into two groups one was Under shoshangane created Gaza Empire in Mozambique and Zwangendaba migrated northern wards through central Africa into present day Tanzania.
2. The impact of Boer trek: Since the Ngoni’s economy depend much on land they wanted to expand southwards but due to presence of Boers it become difficult to them as they could not extend to west because Kens rub mountain or to East because of Indian Ocean hence they involved north wards.
3. Harsh rule of king Shaka: The Zulu ruler was cruel in nature as he severely tortured people and those who failed to respond to his order were killed. Due to this some people decided to seek refuge by migrating to other areas.
4. It was due to overpopulation: Thiswas caused by the fertility of soils and the reliability of rainfall between Drakensberg Mountains and the Indian Ocean.
5. Pastoralism reason: Some Ngoni people owned large herds of cattle and northwards looking for pasture and water for their animals. So they wanted to look for more fertile land for their cattle. They also experienced famine and drought that led to lack of food and water.
5. The influence of their leaders: Men like Zwangendaba, Maputa Maseko and Zulugama provided good leadership. This encouraged them to move onwards.
6. Overstocking: It could also have been due to overstocking of their animals as they were having spirit of cattle rustling, i.e. they had great desire to steal other people’s cattle. For example they went on driving away and confiscating other people’s cattle during their conquest and expansionist wars.
7. Increased knowledge of military tactics by the age regiments: These were powerful military forces and dedicated to professional war, which was their livelihood. They believed that they could have other territories through migration.
EFFECTS OF NGONI MIGRATION IN EAST AFRICA POSITIVE EFFECTS
1. It ha led to the emergence of strong leaders: These included Mirambo, Nyungu ya Mawe and Mkwawa, who used the Ngoni military tactics to build their states.
2. It has led to the emergence of strongest states: Many small Ntemi chiefdoms came together (united) and formed large political units under strong leaders to fight the Ngoni for example Sangu and Hehe (re-organisation).
3. It has led to the formation of new society tribes: There was formation of new societies/tribe like the Mbunga.
4. It broght strong opposition against colonial invasion: The Hehe under Mkwawa were able to resist the Germans.
5. It contributed to the formation of new cultural values: There was spread of Ngoni customs and culture for example initiation ceremonies where girls were taught sex educations and circumcision.
6. It contributed to expansion of local languages: It led to the growth and expansion of kiswahili language in East Africa due to the increase in new vocabularies.
7. It brought new fighting techniques: It led to the formation of some societies by those who used Ngoni tactics for example Nyamwezi under Mirambo.
8. It has introduced of new weapons: It led to the introduction of new weapons eg. assegai, cowhides and shields.
9. It brought unity to indigenous people: From the Ngoni invasion people learned how to become organised from smaller disorganised society, to well organised bigger political systems. These were to be under the control and leadership of organised, strong and efficient rulers such as the Sangu chief, Hehe etc.
10. It has led to Intermarrages: There were intermarriages between Ngoni and Nyamwezi which subsequently led to improved relationships between the invaders and indigenous people and an increased population.
NEGATIVE EFFECTS
1. It has led to loss of people's lives: They caused the loss of lives leading to depopulation in some areas where they got warriors this was especially in southern Tanzania. This was due to the killing of people in the expansionist wars e.g. the Mariti remnants of Rugarugas killed so many people.
2. It has led to separation of families: Their movement led to wider spread of devastation, depopulation and displacement of people.
3. It has led to destruction of properties and cattle confiscation: They destroyed the economy of the people of southern Tanzania when they grabbed their cattle (the Ngoni were cattle plunderers). The Ngoni invasion led to poverty, i.e. it led to the creation of the class of poor people as their property continued to be destroyed and persistently looted during the wars.
4. It has led to formation of refugees: who lived by plundering and killing i.e. the Mariti and Rugaruga who were later used by ambitious men like Mirambo and Nyungu ya Mawe to form their empires.
5. It has led to the decline of long distance trade: The Tuta Ngoni on their movement northwards, disrupted the trade particularly between Tabora and Ujiji.
6. It has contributed to destruction of local culture: There was loss of peoples’ language, culture and customs (detribalisation of people), i.e. the raids caused many people to become homeless and tribe less. This led to people losing their identity. In addition, such groups became terrorists who lived by war, plunder and hunting for ivory. They included the “Rugaruga” who began hiring their services as mercenaries to any chief willing to pay them.
7. They brought famine and hunger: Ngoni disturbances disrupted normal cultivation leading to famine. There was widespread famine due to the scotched-earth policy of fighting circumstances, crop could neither be planted nor harvested, and people were forced to abandon farming.
8. They disrupted indigenous peace: The coming of Ngoni has led to insecurity since the new weapons and military tactics increased warfare and aggression in East Africa.
9. Expansion of slave trade: The Ngoni intensified slave trade in East Africa, this was because they displaced people from their homes and so making it easy for slave raiders to catch and sell them.
10. Over population: The coming of Ngoni in East Africa has led to over population and its associated impacts to the environment.
11. Spread of diseases: The coming of Ngoni in East Africa has led to spread of various diseases to the indigenous people like small pox.
GUIDING QUESTIONS
1. Identify two types of interactions among the people of Africa.
2. Give six factors for social interaction among African societies in pre colonial era.
3. How migration stimulated interaction among the African societies? Six points.
4. Outline five impacts resulted from migration among the African societies during the interaction.
5. How the religion stimulated interaction among the African societies? Six points.
6. How wars in pre-colonial African societies contributed to interaction among African societies.
7. How agriculture activities stimulated interaction among the African societies? Six points.
8. How fishing activities stimulated interaction among the African societies? Six points.
9. How trading activities stimulated interaction among the African societies? Six points.
10. How hand craft industries contributed to interaction among the African societies?
