INFLUENCE OF MFECANE IN THE FORMATION OF STATES DURING
THE 19TH CENTURY.
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THE MFECANE
Mfecane is a Ngoni word used to refer to the wars and disturbances which accompanied the rise of the Zulu state under Shaka from 1818. The Mfecane can also be defined as the time of trouble in South Africa. It was a great upheaval which affected areas as far as Western part of Tanzania. The Mfecane dominated the first hold of the 19th century in South Africa.
Causes of the Mfecane:-
- Population pressure
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Zulu land is part of the Eastern corridor of South Africa between the Drakensburg Mountains and the Indian Ocean. Due to the favorable climate and absence of diseases such as malaria, its population tended to increase rapidly. As the population increased conflicts between those societies became common and intensified leading to the Mfecane.
- Land shortages
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The people who occupied Zulu land were farmers, but the existing land was not enough due to population pressure, therefore the search for more land caused conflicts that later contributed to the outbreak of the Mfecane.
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The coming of the Boers
During the Boer Trek, the Boers left Cape Town away from British control and moved into the interior of South Africa, the penetration of the Boers into the interior of South Africa intensified the pressure on land which led to conflicts that caused the Mfecane.
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The role of Shaka
The outbreak of the Mfecane can also be attributed to the role of Shaka. Shaka pursued an aggressive and expansionist policy to expand his Kingdom, Zulu state. He attacked many states in the attempt of expanding his state, this action created conflicts that contributed to the outbreak of the Mfecane.
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Control of profitable trade
The need to control trade along the Delgoa Bay is one of the factors responsible for the outbreak of the Mfecane. Trade contacts with the coast were very important because it was associated with acquisition of guns that can be used for conquest and expansion.
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Effects of the Mfecane in East and Central Africa
The Mfecane had a tremendous impact in East and Central Africa; some of the effects had a far reaching impact to Africa.
- Formation of states
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The Mfecane led to state formation because the severity of these wars led to formation of strong armies for protection, but these armies were later used for conquest and expansion thus forming states. Examples of these states are the Shangani states in Zimbabwe.
- Spread of Ngoni speaking people
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The most permanent results of the Mfecane were the spread of the Ngoni speaking people. These people were called various names in different parts of Africa. They were called the Ngoni in Tanzania, the matebele in Zimbabwe and Kololo in Zambia.
- Introduction of Military techniques
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The Mfecane led to the introduction and spread of new military techniques such as the cow horn style which involved surrounding the enemy.
- Introduced of new weapons
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The Mfecane led to the introduction of new weapons for example the short stabbing spears called the Assegai; these weapons were introduced by the Ngoni from Africa who came to East and central Africa.
- Depopulation
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The Mfecane led to depopulation because many people lost their lives due to the frequent wars, the most affected region was veld where by many people lost their lives.
- Famine
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The Mfecane led to widespread of famine in East and central Africa. The frequent wars caused insecurity that disrupted agricultural production and finally causing famine/hunger.
NOTE:-
The Mfecane was a great upheaval in the history of Southern Africa because it had far reaching effects in the region.
THE ROLE OF THE MFECANE IN STATE FORMATION:-
The Mfecane refers to the wars and disturbances caused by Shaka and the rise of the Zulu state in South Africa. The Mfecane is also referred to as the time of trouble or turbulence in South Africa.
The origin of the Mfecane was Shaka‟s expansionist policies that led to the conquering states.
The Mfecane played a great role in state formation in Southern Africa.
- Political transformation
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The Mfecane led to political transformation in Southern Africa, the former age group communities were transformed into strong centralized states. The Mfecane also forced people to form strong armies to protect themselves from Shaka; these armies were later used for conquest and expansion hence forming states. Zulu is a good example of a state formed due to the Mfecane.
- Military advancement
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The Mfecane contributed to the introduction of new military weapons such as the short stabbing spears and the cow horn style. These weapons were used for conquest and expansion thus forming states.
- Emergency of strong leadership
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The Mfecane contributed to the rise of strong leadership; this was needed for protection from the Mfecane. Strong leadership had a big role to play in state formation because the leaders united the people to form states.
- Migrations
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The societies through which they passed were forced to form strong states to protect themselves from the Mfecane. The movement of the Ngoni from South Africa was not a peaceful process; it involves wars that necessitated unity among the people.
NOTE: – The Mfecane was a great upheaval in history of Southern Africa; it dominated the first half of the 19th century in Southern Africa.
THE ROLE OF THE LONG DISTANCE TRADE IN THE FORMATION OF
STATES IN EAST AFRICA
The long distance trade in East Africa refers to the type of trade that took place between the people of the interior of East Africa and the ones from the coast. The main participants were the Yao, Kamba, Nyamwezi and Baganda from the interior and the Arabs and Swahili traders from the coast. The main items traded were guns, beads and glassware that came from the coast and slaves, ivory, tortoise shells and copper from the interior of East Africa.
The main medium of exchange was batter trade system, which is exchange of goods for goods.
The long distance trade provided a crucial role in the formation of states in East Africa as follows.
- Accumulation of wealth
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Those African chiefs who monopolized trade in pre–colonial African accumulated a lot of wealth that was used to build state in East Africa such as Buganda and Bunyoro. Kings such as Mutesa of Buganda, Kabalega of Bunyoro and Nyungu ya Mawe of Ukimbu accumulated a lot of wealth that was used to build strong states.
- Introduction of guns
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The long distance trade led to the introduction of guns into the interior of East Africa. These guns were used to strengthen armies that were used for conquest and expansion.
Most of the states in East Africa were established through conquest and expansion.
- Active participation in agriculture
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The long distance trade ennglish-swahili/courage” target=”_blank”>couraged people to participate actively in agriculture to produce goods that can be exchanged during the trade. Active participation in agriculture increased agricultural production which accommodated in high population, this contributed to the formation of states. States such as Buganda, Karagwe and Bunyoro were formed in those areas where agriculture was active.
- Emergency of strong leaders
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The long distance contributed to the emergence of strong leaders such as Mkwawa of the Hehe and Mutesa of Buganda. These leaders played a fundamental role in the emergence of states in East Africa by uniting the people
- Migrations
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The long distance trade ennglish-swahili/courage” target=”_blank”>couraged migrations in East Africa. People moved from one place to another to take part in exchange of goods. The migration of people contributed to permanent settlement that had a role to play in state formation.
- Development of towns
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The long distance trade contributed to the development of towns in East Africa, these include Ujiji, Tabora and Bagamoyo. These areas acted as trading centers therefore they attracted many people thus contributed to the state formation.
- Growth of trade routes
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The long distance trade contributed to the development of trade routes in East Africa. These routes opened the interior of East Africa.
THE ROLE OF ISLAM IN FORMATION OF STATES DURING THE
19THCENTURE
A Jihad is a holy war in Islam. Jihads were one of the most significant events that dominated in West Africa during the 19th century; they were mainly led by Othman Dan Fodio. Jihads can be traced back as far as the 10th century when young Fulani immigrates with Islamic knowledge in politics influenced other people to start holy wars.
Jihads under the umbrella of Islam played a fundamental role in state formation in West Africa, states such as Sokoto, Mandika and Tokoro were a result of Jihads.
How, Jihads as an islamic war contributed to state formation in Pre–colonial Africa
- Unification
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The Jihads acted as a unifying factor that brought people together under one umbrella. Islam became the official ruling ideology of the state. The unity provided by Islam was very crucial in state formation. The Islamic law “sheria‟ proved the alternative model of government with which to compare and attack their rulers. Conversion of nonbelievers was an essential duty of all Muslims.
- Formation of strong armies
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The Jihads were characterized with the establishment of strong armies; these armies were later used for conquest and expansion thus forming states. This was responsible for the formation for states such as Sokoto caliphate and Hausa states.
- Emergency of strong leaders
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Jihad contributed to the rise of strong leadership; these leaders were seen as Muslim reformers who managed to create strong leadership under their leaders like futa Djallon in Guinea in 1725 and the Sokoto caliphate.
- Control of trade routes
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The Jihads led to the control of trade routes by the Jihad leaders. These trade routes attracted many people. The wealth accumulated was used to build strong states. Trade also accumulated guns that were used for conquest and expansion thus forming strong states such as Sokoto caliphate.
- Consolidation of Feudalism
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Jihads contributed to the consolidation of Feudalism as a mode of production, land was controlled by the Fulani, and the weapons accumulated were used to build states in West Africa.