LSC S2: EAST AFRICAN LONG DISTANCE TRADE

LSC S2: EAST AFRICAN LONG DISTANCE TRADE

Introduction
After studying this chapter, you will be able to understand Long Distance Trade as a concept and how it was carried out in the pre-colonial time and its organisation in East Africa. You will be able to appreciate the contribution of the trade that existed to the history of East Africa. You will be able to understand and appreciate how the trading system has continued to influence trade and commerce in East
Africa today.

The Long Distance Trade is a direct trade over long distances. It implies allowing goods to reach distant markets using a single trade route containing long distance connections, which may further be connected to smaller networks of commercial and non-commercial transportation routes. Uganda and Rwanda receive import and export goods through the Port of Mombasa. The route from Mombasa to Kampala and then Kigali and movement of goods by people along the same route is a long distance trade. Along this route, there were other road networks that fed
into this route for export and import of goods.
The Long Distance Trade, also known as the Long Distance Caravan Trade, was started by African people around the first decade of the 19th Century. They extended trade routes upcountry. It was a traditional trade in which traders travelled long distances in organised groups known as caravans with their goods from the interior to the East African coast where they exchanged their commodities for
other products.

Activity 7.2.1: Long Distance Trade
In groups;
a) Draw a sketch map of East Africa and indicate the trade routes used in Long
Distance Trade.
b) What were the goods involved in this trade: from the interior and from other
Europeans and Asian countries?
c Present your findings to the rest of the class members.
REASONS FOR THE GROWTH AND EXPANSION OF LONG DISTANCE TRADE
The primary reason for the growth and expansion of this trade was the high demand for slaves, ivory and other mineral items from the interior of Africa and the existing demand for imported European and Indian products. Ivory was needed in India for making bangles and other valuable items like piano keys, bells and other ornaments both in Europe and America. The demand for slaves was a result of growth of commercial activities not only in Pemba and Zanzibar islands but even in Europe. Pemba became an important area for plantation agriculture,

which increased the demand for slaves to offer labour. The Indian and other Arab merchant residents in Zanzibar acted as middlemen in this trade and the caravan traders motivated them to carry out adventures in the interior of East Africa. The introduction and availability of firearms in the 2nd-half of the 19th Century made it easier for chiefs and people to transform their traditional skills. It aided
those who were involved in slave trade to easily acquire captives. The Arabs sold some guns to African chiefs who used them mercilessly against their fellow Africans. It motivated chiefs like Nyungu ya mawe, Mirambo, Mtaka and others to widen their areas of raid and become powerful within the region and the trade

routes.
Sayyid Said provided peace and security when he tamed the hostile tribes in the interior and eliminated sea pirates. This made accessibility easier to the source of trade items. The growth of inland centres like Tabora, Bagamoyo, IJjiji, Unyanyembe and others made it possible to attract others to join the trade. Most
areas like Bunyoro and Buganda were connected to the caravan trade routes through Karagwe and Unyanyembe. The growth of these centres provided bases for Arab traders in the interior.

African societies had developed trade skills through inter-tribal trading and could produce more commodities than were consumed in their areas. The need to dispose the surplus commodities promoted the development and growth of the Long Distance Trade. The Baganda; for example, were skilled in backcloth making and the Banyoro in salt mining.

ORGANISATION OF LONG-DISTANCE CARAVAN TRADE
Long-Distance Trade was conducted through three main routes namely; the southern, central and northern routes.
The southern route began from the coastal ports in the towns of Kilwa, Malindi and Sofala. This ran through southern Tanganyika, modern Mozambique and south of Lake Malawi into corridors of Yao and Biza region. Slave trade was a dominant activity carried out along this route and the Yao tribe dominated it.
The central route was from the port of Bagamoyo and penetrated the interior across Tanganyika to Ujiji on Lake Tanganyika from where it crossed the lake to reach the resourceful Congo basin. From Tabora, the route diverted northwards to link the kingdoms of Karagwe, Buganda, Ankole and Bunyoro. From Tabora, again, this central route branched southwards into the corridors of Lake Tanganyika, Lake Rukwa and Lake Malawi. The Nyamwezi people dominated this route and the main trading item was ivory.

The northern route started from the ports of Pangani, Mombasa and Tanga It passed through northeastern Tanganyika and Nyika plateau of Kenya on its way to western Kenya, Lake Rudolf and the eastern shores of Lake Victoria.
The Akamba, Kikuyu and Mrina people were prominent traders along this route, dealing in ivory, slaves, traditional medicine, poisoned arrows, etc. The communities that participated in the Long Distance Trade were the Akamba, Swahili, Arabs, Yao, Nyamwezi, Mijikenda and Baganda. They organised trading
expeditions under their chiefs up to the coast with ivory, copper, slaves, wax and salt. They returned with utensils, cloths, ironware, beads and mirrors. This system of trade was referred to as barter trade.

https://youtu.be/IQ7cHaIMkEY

Activity 7.2.2 Reasons for the rise of Long Distance Trade.
Using library or ICT research, make notes on;
a) What were the reasons for the rise of the Long Distance Trade?
B)How was this trade organised?
C)What were the effects of the trade?
D)What were the challenges of Long Distance Trade?
E)How were the challenges of the Long Distance Trade different from the
f)challenges of long distance trade today?
g)Organise a skit showing how the traditional East African chiefs were involved
in the Long Distance Trade.
h)In groups, share your findings and make a presentation of your findings to
the class.