1:0 INTERACTIONS AMONG THE PEOPLE OF AFRICA. HISTORY FORM TWO TOPIC ONE.
TOPIC ONE
INTERACTIONS AMONG THE PEOPLE OF
AFRICA:
What
is interaction?
Interaction
refers to the way in which people from one society came into contact with
another society. Through these contacts African people were able to form new
relationship during pre-colonial period.
I.
SOCIAL FACTORS FOR INTERACTION;
The
following are the social factors which gave rise to interactions among the
people of Africa;
1. Through marriage; interactions
influenced by marriages where by one community marry from another community. Example
some African rulers married from different clans in order to strengthen their
political power, example kabaka married from different clans for the aims of
strengthen his power. Also marriage between African people and Arabs cause
interaction. Hence cause interaction.
2. Due to migration; this is another
factor for interaction among the African societies in order to avoid areas with
diseases like cholera, malaria as well as sleeping sickness. Those people come into contacts with other people in areas of
destination. Also migration can be
caused by employment opportunities, example after discovery of diamond in 1867
and gold 1885 in South Africa influenced interaction as the result people came
from different parts to search for employment opportunities.
3. Also religion factor; pre-colonial
African societies had their own religion which influence interaction in the
societies. Example through different religion activities like; purifications,
Burial ceremonies, rituals, ceremonies and prayers for soldiers before they
went to the wars. Also hunters prayed before they went to hunt. Therefore
religion unified people from different parts with the same faith which
influenced interaction.
4. Through Music and dances; due to music
and dances people were brought together, where by some African societies
ceremonies accompanied by songs and dances which enhance interaction among the
people. Example some music’s praised or condemned their leadership or
neighboring.
5.
Due to traditional medication;
during pre-colonial era some societies were famous in producing different
medicines; Most of the medicines were extracted from plant roots, barks and
leaves, which attracted other societies to come into contact so as to get
medicines. Those practiced medication interacted with many patients from
different communities.
II.
ECONOMIC FACTORS FOR INTERACTIONS;
The
following are the factors which gave rise to the interactions among the people
of Africa.
1. Through agricultural activities;
pre-colonial African societies practiced agriculture which involved in
cultivation of crops and animal keeping. Interaction occurred as the result of
agriculturalist interacted with other communities in order to acquire
agricultural tools like hand hoes and axes. Also other communities interacted
with agriculturalist so as to get agriculture products.
2. Interaction due to trade;
pre-colonial African trade enabled different communities like agriculturalist,
pastoralist, iron smith and other communities to form interaction to each other. This
interaction influenced by barter trade system. Example pastoralist societies
exchanged milk, animal skins and meat for grains.
3. Fishing activities;
this was
another economic activity that was practiced by societies which surrounded
water bodies, includes rivers, oceans and lakes. Example Luo and Ndengereko
fishermen were famous in Pre-colonial East Africa, where by Ndengereko fished
in the river Rufiji. Those fishing communities interacted with other societies
so as to acquire animal product and agricultural products.
4. Metal working;
during pre-colonial African societies people used various kinds of metals to
make tools, weapons, utensils and ornaments. Examples of those metals include
copper, gold and iron. Egypt was the first African people to produce and use
copper. Also Gold was used in the Kingdom of Ghana, Egypt and Zimbabwe. Hence
due to demand of metal interactions existed.
THE
IMPACTS OF ECONOMIC INTERACTIONS:
1. Intensification of agriculture;
due to interaction agricultural activities developed as the result of many societies exchange their products like
agriculture tools and acquire agriculture products. To the large extent led to
the intensification and development of agriculture.
2. led to the growth of towns and
cities; economic integration contributed to the formation
and growth of urban centers along the trade routes and centers. Also areas
which produced trade commodities became market center. Example Taghaza, Gen,
Gao, Timbuktu and Kumbisalehe in West Africa, also Bagamoyo, Tabora, Mombasa,
Kilwa, Malindi, and Zanzibar in East Africa. Also Cairo and Tripoli in North
Africa
3. Led to the development and spread
of science and technology; due to integration it was easy for
one society to adopt skills and knowledge from another society. Example due to
interaction some societies were able to process gold, make clothes as well as
adopt iron technology.
4. contributed to the emergence of classes;
interaction in pre-colonial African societies led to the formation of classes,
especially the class of rich and poor. People who interacted fully in economic
activities became rich and powerful while those who did not remained poor.
5. Led to intensive exploitation of
African resources; due to interaction people from outside
Africa like Arabs and Europeans were able to engage in trade activities. Those
people brought valueless products like mirror, beads, wine, sword and guns and
take valuable commodities like ivory, animal skins, gold, copper and Rhino
horns.
III.
THE COMING OF THE NGONI:
The
Ngoni came from South Africa where they had been part of the Nguni-speaking
peoples of Northern Zululand. They fled from their homeland in about 1820 to
escape the rising power of Tshaka, the Ngoni warriors moved northwards under
their leader Zwangendaba. For about 15 years they wandered in southern
Mozambique and adjacent areas before crossing the zambezi in 1835 on their
march northwards until they reached the fipa plateau in western Tanzania in
1850s.
CAUSES
OF NGONI MIGRATION:
1. Due to overpopulation;
Ngoni migration caused by population growth of Natal which cause shortage of
land for agriculture and settlement. Due to shortage of land Ngoni had no other
solution rather than migration.
2. Boer expansion;
Since the Ngoni’s economy depend much on land they wanted to expand southwards,
but due to presence of Boers it was difficult for them. Therefore they failed
to expand to west because of Kens Rub Mountain or to East because of Indian
Ocean hence they moved north wards.
3. The Mfecane war of 1800;
this caused migration of Ngoni speakers from South Africa to other parts like
Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Tanganyika. During this war Tshaka had
defeated the Ndwande army from which three leaders include Soshane, Zwangendaba
and Ngaba as well as their followers moved northwards. They moved into group’s
example;
i) First group was under soshane
which succeeded to in establishing Gaza kingdom in southern Mozambique also
Soshanes prevented other Ngoni groups from settling in Mozambique.
ii) Another group was under Zwangendaba
and his followers, after trekking to Zimbabwe, then
followed northern route to the fipa plateau the present day Tanzania.
iii) Another group under Mputa
Maseko crossed Zambezi River in 1839, passed through
southern Malawi moved nortwards crossing the Ruvuma River and settled in
Southern Tanzania.
4. Role played by the Ngoni leaders;
Ngoni leaders like Soshane, Zwangendaba and Ngaba, played a big role to the
Ngoni migration by provided good leadership and encourage them to move to other
places in order to avoid the rule of Tshaka.
5. Dictatorial rule of Tshaka Zulu;
The Zulu ruler was cruel in nature as he severely tortured people and those who
go against his order were killed. Due to this some people decided to migrate to
other places so as to avoid his leadership
TSHAKA OF THE ZULU
THE
SOCIAL, POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC EFFECTS OF THE NGONI MIGRATION:
1. Led to the introduction of Ngoni
military techniques; Ngoni migration contributed to the
introduction of new military skills, example cow horns (method of surrounding
the enemies) and shields which were still unknown to the places they settled.
These military techniques were adopted by various communities in self-defense
against the Ngoni themselves or to enable political reorganization and empire
building. Example; Mirambo, Sangu and Nyungu-ya-Mawe.
2. Creation of Ngoni ethnic group
consisting people from several indigenous groups;
this is another effect of Ngoni migration whereby due to interaction between
indigenous people and Ngoni later a small Nguni speaking core group created.
3. Ngoni migration weakened and
disrupted many communities; during their migration Ngoni
attacked some societies and weakened them, as the result, it made it easier for
coastal slaves to traders to get captives during the second half of the 19thc.
Also their raids disrupted normal life in Western Tanzania example disrupted
the trade particularly between Tabora and Ujiji in Tanzania by destruction of
caravan route. Among communities which successfully adjusted to the Ngoni
invasion were Sangu and Hehe
4. led to the cultural interference;
Ngoni migration also contributed to the culture interference to the many
societies. Example; by introduction of new language, engage in intermarriages
as well as the spread of Ngoni customs and beliefs for like initiation
ceremonies where girls were taught sexual educations and circumcision.
5. The Ngoni invasion contributed to
the rise of strong leaders; These includes Mkwawa, Mirambo, Mwahavangu of Sangu and Nyungu-ya- Mawe who used the Ngoni military tactics to build
their Empire.
6. They created fear, suspicious and
insecurity to the community; Ngoni make some
societies to live with fear, due to the attacks from Ngoni and grabbed cattle’s
in the societies. Example in southern Tanzania, there were constant raids of
cattle and attack which created fear and insecurity.
7. Caused death of people and destruction of
properties; Ngoni led to the death of people during
attacks and raiding cattle, also during the war they destructed houses and
burnt farms. This contributed to the loss of people, hence depopulation.
