Interactions Among the People of Africa
Interaction
can be defined as the way in which people from a given community came into
contact with another community. Major interactions between the peoples of
Africa begun during the Late Stone Age and the Iron Age up to the middle of 19th
century.
Interaction among the people of Africa were caused
by social, political and economic factors.
Social
factors which gave rise to interactions among the people of Africa
1. War
Internal conflicts over
land, minerals, water, and control of trade or power led to movement of some
societies from their original land. A typical example was the movement of the
Ngoni from South Africa to other parts of Africa.
2. Migration
As communities grew in number this lead to a
scarcity of resources, which forced others to migrate in search of resources.
For example the Bantu migration and the Ngoni migration.
3. Intermarriage
Some people left their places because of marriage.
For example, Nyamwezi and Hehe married each other and caused interaction.
4. Religion
Religion brought people together from many places.
For example, people from different villages came together to pray for a rain
during drought.
5. Music and games
People from different places came together to
celebrate traditional dances like Ngoma. These events took place after the
agricultural work was completed.
6. Medicine
Some communities had witchdoctors so people from
different communities went to them for treatment. For example, Kinjekitilie
Ngwale, was a witchdoctor who was visited by many who needed treatment from
him.
Economic
factors which give rise to the interaction among the people of Africa
1.
Trade
Different societies had to move in search of
commodities which led to interaction. For example, people of Zambia, Mozambique
and Rwanda had trade links with people of East Africa and in North Africa
people interacted with West Africans through Trans-Saharan trade.
2.
Search for new
land
Areas that were not conducive for human settlement
and production activities were left behind and those that with conducive
conditions like fertile soil and good climate did attract many people. For
example, agricultural community did shift from areas that were infertile to
those areas with reliable rainfall and fertile soil.
3. Introduction
of means of transport
Means of transport supported the movement of the
traders. For example, the use of camels in West Africa since the 4th
A.D expanded trade interaction between West Africa Sudanic stated like: Ghana,
Mali and Songhai and the Berbers from Northern Africa.
4. Establishment
of routes which were used for interaction
For example, the trading contact which mainly grew
from the coast of East Africa made the people in Bagamoyo and Zanzibar interact
with the Nyamwezi.
5. Introduction
of iron technology
Iron technology enabled people to engage in economic
activities like, farming, pastoralism and commerce hence interaction.
The
Impact of the Economic Interactions
Positive
economic impacts
1.
Development of
technical skills and new ideas
Interaction led people of Africa from different
communities to share their skills and ideas for economic growth. For example,
they shared iron making skills.
2.
Growth of new
towns and cities
Interaction among African people led to the
development of new towns as most of the populated areas grew economically due
to the population increase and production activities such as trade and
agricultural activities. Cities like Timbuktu developed because of interaction.
3.
Intensification
of agricultural production
Agricultural production
was intensified to meet the demand on the market because of interaction.
Negative
economic impacts
4. Over
exploitation of African resources
Interaction among African people resulted in
overexploitation of African resources through trade which was unequal in
nature. Africans gold was taken for the exchange of wine.
5. Emergence
of classes among the Africans
Classes emerged dividing poor Africans from rich
Africans who accumulated wealth from different economic, social and political
activities.
6. Exposure
of Africa to the outside world
African country and its resources came to be exposed
to the outside world due to interaction.
7. Decrease
of productive manpower
This was due to slave trade; through interaction the
outsiders started to take slaves from Africa to their mother countries as labor
power.
Impacts
of social interaction
1.
Population
increase
Areas that attracted large numbers of people became
highly populated, especially productive areas. The increased population
resulted into socio-economic development in the given areas which facilitated
immigration.
2.
Emergence of
new languages
As different people interacted new languages emerged.
For example, the Swahili language emerged due to interaction between Arabs,
Africans and Europeans.
The coming of the Ngoni
The Ngoni people are an ethnic group living in
Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia. The Ngoni trace their origins to the
Nguni and Zulu people of Kwazulu-Natal in South Africa. They moved to Tanzania
from Natal between 1840’s due to Mfecane war.
The Causes
of the Ngoni Migration
1. The
need for land to carry out economic activities
Ngoni were an agricultural society, they needed
fertile land on which to carry out production activities like farming and
cattle raring. In the 19th century, the Ngoni had shortage of land
in Natal. The only alternative to secure was to migrate to occupy land in other
regions.
2. The
rise of King Shaka of the Zulu
Shaka needed to expand his Kingdom, he started
Mfecane war. As a result, many people fled South Africa to escape Shaka’s army
and the war.
3. Population
growth
During the 19th Century, people increased
in Natal. This created a demand for areas of settlement and so, many societies
decided to move to other areas.
4. The
Boer movement northwards to Natal
This movement contributed to Ngoni movements towards
East and Central Africa in 1800’s. Societies which could not resist the Boers
decided to flee the region.
5. The
influence of their leaders
Men like Zwangendaba, Maputo and Zulugama provided
good leadership. This encouraged them to move onwards.
6. Increased
knowledge of military tactics
Ngoni people believed that, they could have other
territories through migration because of their military techniques and weapons.
For example, they had bull horn military technique of surrounding their
enemies. Also, they had superior weapons like Asegai.
Effects
of the Ngoni Migration
1. Small chiefdoms united
together
For the fear of being conquered, small chiefdoms
formed large political units under strong leaders to fight the Ngoni. For
example Sangu and Hehe united together.
2. Spread of Ngoni customs
and culture
Ngoni people spread their culture in different
societies. For example, initiation ceremonies where girls were taught sex
educations and circumcision.
3. Intermarriages
Ngoni people married people from different
societies, for example, marriage between Ngoni and Nyamwezi which subsequently
led to improved relationships between them and an increased population.
4. Death
of people
Ngoni migration caused the loss of lives leading to
depopulation in some areas where they were attacked by the Ngoni. This was
especially in southern Tanzania.
5. Destruction
of economy
The Ngoni were cattle plunderers, they destroyed the
economy of the people of southern Tanzania when they grabbed their cattle.
6. Intensification
of slave trade in East Africa
Ngoni invasion displaced people from their homes and
so making it easy for slave raiders to catch and sell them.
History Form Two Topic One Revisions Questions
1.
Choose the correct
answer and write the letter in the boxes provided.
i. The social factors which led to the Ngoni
migration included:
a. Trading ambitions b.
Good leadership
c. Over population d.
Discovery of iron technology
ii. The Chewa and the Yao of Malawi obtained the
following goods from the coastal commerce during the 10th A.D.
a. Ivory, animal skins and gold b. Soft drinks, beads and pots.
c. Beads, silk and spices d. Porcelain, silk spices and glassware.
iii. The development of town in African societies
before the period of colonial rule occurred due to:
a. Settlement by various groups with similar
language features.
b. Cultivation of crops and hunting.
c. Trade contacts
d. Handcraft industries
iv. The original land of the East Africa Ngoni was:
a. Meroe in Northern Africa. B. Niger in West Africa
c. Natal in South Africa. D. Katanga in Central Africa
v. The famous leader who firstly led to movement of
the Ngoni to East Africa was:
a. Shaka b.
Mzilikazi
c. Zwangendaba d.
Dingiswayo
2.
Define ‘economic
interaction.’
3.
List three major
groups which interacted with the Bushmen in East Africa.
4.
Explain in short the
impacts of economic interactions in African societies.
5.
List down five
outcome of the Ngoni Migration in East Africa.
