Pre-colonial Period Research Articles

The Role of Pre-Colonial Agikuyu Women’s Local Trade on Indigenous Food Crops and Food Security in Nyeri County Before 1902

The purpose of this paper was to establish the role of pre-colonial Agikuyu women’s local trade on indigenous food Crops in enhancing food security in Nyeri County before 1902. The research was guided by two theories Marxist feminist theory and articulation theory. This study was conducted in three sub-counties: Kieni East, Mathira East, and Nyeri Central. Data was collected from both primary and secondary sources such as key informants, archival data and document analysis. A sample size threshold of 54 respondents was interviewed. The main research instruments were the interview guide and focus group discussion. Data for this study was analyzed qualitatively using documentary content analysis, description and narration of the historical events. Data was also corroborated and both context and content analysis were done to ensure reliability and validity of the information. The study established that in pre-colonial period women formed the backbone of Nyeri County's food security through their local exchange system leveraging their deep understanding on well-established trade networks of indigenous food crops that helped to mitigate food shortage. The established that the indigenous food crops that women exchanged in the local markets were well adapted to local conditions, sustainably available and provided essential nutrients necessary for the health and well-being of the community. The findings of this study illustrate the pivotal role of Agikuyu women in local trade systems and its substantial contribution to food security in Nyeri County. The study concludes that the ministry of trade should come up with deliberate measures that will integrate women’s local trade into the country’s economic policies and practices and also consider the valuable contribution of women local trade in mitigating food shortage and ensuring eradication of extreme poverty and hunger

A discourse of african traditional healing tendencies with medicinal plants: An ethnobotanical study of the sukuma of Tanzania, 1922–1960s

The use of medicinal plants in traditional healing practices is essential to Tanzanian and African health care. This paper examined the African traditional healing tendencies, particularly the Sukuma tribe of Tanzania, from 1922 to the 1960s. Several types of research challenged traditional healing tendencies' role in the health sector. They claimed that traditional healing has no scientific evidence or methodology and is inefficient. This paper comprises three objectives: the evolution of traditional healing practices among the Sukuma; the traditional healers’ conceptualization and adaptation of social, economic, and ecological changes; and the challenges faced by the traditional healers. The study was conducted in Mwamapalala and Mwalushu Wards where Mwamunhu and Mwamigagani represented as sampled villages in Bariadi District. It used both qualitative and quantitative approaches that involved an interpretive, naturalistic approach to its subject matter. Archival materials were also used.The findings reveal that the traditional healers understood the nature of traditional healing in the pre-colonial period. Before colonial domination, all people in the region depended on the traditional medicines obtained from flora and fauna. Their ancestors were diviners, and few were herbalists. The paper concludes that the current healing practice in Tanzania results from the political transition from the colonial period to the independence era. Most people conceptualize that the government had neither effectively accepted the field of traditional medicine nor given the healers any support to sustain their activities. More often, traditional healers have been ignored by the government, and it has been claimed that traditional healing practices instigated violence and, therefore, threaten society.

Upravljanje javnim zdravstvom u Gani: Fokus na Korle-Bu učiteljsku bolnicu (1923-2020)

Since the pre-colonial period to the post-colonial era, public health administration has been intertwined with several issues ranging from the inadequacy of public health facilities and health workers, improper settlement planning, insanitary conditions, inadequate laws, their implementation and enforcement of same. Using a qualitative approach of research, the study focused on the historical interpretation of the challenges and effects of public health administration on health workers and patients in Ghana. This empirical study focused on responses from workers in the Accident and Emergency Department of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH), Ghana. The study teased out information from expert informants to make useful generalizations to shape public health administration in relation to similar facilities in Ghana and elsewhere in Africa. Among other things, it also studies how reported sicknesses and or medical cases such as COVID-19 and the management of same at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in contemporary times. Again, based on the empirical responses, the study provided empirical prescriptions to help improve public health administration in health facilities in Ghana, which has wider ramifications for related facilities on the African continent. Attention and resources should not only be given to clinical care, to the neglect of public health. Efforts should cut across every sector of healthcare and fully equip the office of public health administration to do a more efficient work. There is also the need to make inferences from the various past challenges and effects of public health administration in the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital and Ghana at large to know how to deal with similar challenges emanating from the day to day running of Ghana’s health institutions including the required preparednes to deal with epidemics and pandemics at the local and national levels.

The Impact of Informal Cross-Border Trade on Kenya-Uganda Foreign Relations

This paper generally discusses the intricate dynamics of Informal Cross-Border Trade (ICBT) and its profound impact on Kenya-Uganda foreign relations. It is observed in this study that, Kenya and Uganda share a similar history, geography and a distinct cultural background, key to their social and economic relations. It is further noted that Kenya plays a significant role in Uganda's history and vice versa, sometimes influencing each other. Both countries are significant trading partners, but mostly informally, which has expanded in the post-independence period. This is attributed to their shared history, culture, and geography. Since the pre-colonial period, communities in the geographical area that came to be defined as the border between the two countries engaged in informal trade. The paper holds that, Informal Cross Border Trade along the Kenya-Uganda border has shaped the foreign relations between the two countries. The study applied territoriality theory to interpret the impact of ICBT on Kenya-Uganda foreign relations. The theory holds that, each sovereign state has authority to manage resources within its borders. The study used both primary and secondary sources. This study demonstrates that ICBT, positively influences Kenya-Uganda foreign relations. It also expands knowledge on the impact of ICBT on foreign relations.

The History of Togoland Under the British Rule (1914‒1956)

The article is devoted to the history of British Togoland, in particular, the central part of the Volta region (southeast of modern Ghana). The time frame of the study covers the period from the First World War to the incorporation of the Volta region into the Gold Coast. During the pre-colonial period, the region was a zone of active commercial networks, both in the slave trade and in a wide range of goods, which varied according to local and international demand. The ethnic majority living in the region is the Ewe group of peoples. The transition from the German colonial rule (1890–1914) – a short-term, but fundamentally important factor for the history of the region – led to the need of the Bremen missionaries work adaptation to the new conditions, the formation of Ewe’s own synod and political associations. Until 1957, the inhabitants of the central part of the Volta region tried to defend their right to unite the territory of the former German Togoland and maintain contacts with the Germans. The management of Togoland was also complicated by the location of the colonial government’s main office in the Gold Coast: by 1920s the Bremen missionary schools had already been transferred to the Gold Coast Department of Education, and the United Free Church of Scotland had to act as intermediaries between the British colonial government and German missionaries, most of the time remotely.

African Indigenous Knowledge Systems: Assessing the Training of the Gusii Children During the Pre-Colonial Period

The main aim of this paper is to discuss the Gusii indigenous education system. Before the coming of Christian missionaries to Africa, Africans and indeed the Gusii people had their own education system. Each ethnic group had a different education which was different from each other based on the different environments. Each ethnic group taught its youth different knowledge, skills and attitudes according to their environment and their needs. This paper examines the organization of African indigenous education among the Gusii of Kenya, the teachers, methods of teaching, the curriculum and indeed a comparison of this kind of education to the formal education that was introduced by Christian missionaries in the second decade of the 19th century A.D.

Perdagangan dan Eksploitasi Kayu Eboni di Sulawesi Tengah pada Masa Kolonial: Sebuah Tinjauan Awal

Diospyros celebica Bakh, commonly known as ebony or black ebony,is one of the endemic species found on the island of Sulawesi, Indonesia. This exquisite wood has been in high demand globally due to its aesthetic appearance, resulting in its trade for many years since the pre-colonial period. This paper aims to explore the history of ebony in the global trade network and its exploitation in Central Sulawesi in the first half of the 20th century. This paper relied on a variety of sources including newspapers, government documents, botanical magazines, and other literature related to the topic. This paper reveals that the exploitation of ebony during the colonial period was massive, especially during the 1930s. Europe, America, and Japan were the primary export destinations for ebony, with Japan being the largest consumer of this wood. The significant exploitation of ebony raised concerns for the Dutch East Indies as it became increasingly scarce by the end of the 1930s.

Marriage Culture Among the Abagusii in the Pre-Colonial Period

This paper discusses marriage institution among the Abagusii in the pre-colonial period under the following themes: History of migration and settlement of Abagusii, the institution of marriage among the Abagusii in the pre-colonial period, Traditional socio-religious aspects of Gusii marriage, marriage customs among married Gusii men and women in the pre-colonial period, nature of Abagusii households up to 1895, the role of initiation in marriage customs, bridewealth and its place in marriage, the role of patriarchy in marriage, polygamy in marriage. This sequence will help us trace the changes in marriage customs and their implications in the marriage of the Abagusii in the colonial period. This section was guided by social constructivism theory

Deities as the third arm of traditional Igbo government

Igbo studies, especially on political organisations, have enjoyed robust scholarly attention in historical discourse in recent times. The Igbo, unlike their immediate neighbours such as Benin (Edo) and the Igala, ran two parallel systems of government in the pre-colonial period. While some practised a centralised system of government, a reasonable number of Igbo communities contended with decentralised systems. Some reasons for the reign of peace and harmony amongst the Igbo have remained largely uninvestigated and unappreciated. The role of deities as the judicial arm of government in the defence and execution of the law in Igboland has been sketchy in the literature. This extant gap appears to have been ignored by most Igbo scholars who, having been trained in mission schools, have negatively profiled deities and their roles in the traditional Igbo political system. This Eurocentric view calls for a re-interpretation so as to broaden the frontiers of knowledge of this religio-political institution and its role in justice delivery among the Igbo in the decentralized group. This study, therefore, investigates the role of deities in the sustenance of village democracy and autonomy in Igboland. Data garnered from the above sources were organised, analysed and presented through descriptive and analytical approach. This study stirs up deeper insight into this more or less dormant area of Igbo history and also arouses scholarly attention thereto. The study found that deities in non-centralised Igbo communities substituted monarchical institutions and thus brought spiritual dimensions into the Igbo system of governance.

USA–Myanmar relations: democratization and beyond

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the USA's policy toward Myanmar or Burma, analyzing the bilateral relationship between the two countries from the pre-colonial period to the present day. It highlights the implications of political shifts in the system of government in Myanmar for the bilateral relationship with the USA, particularly after the 1962 coup and the emergence of rising regional powers like China. The paper also shows how the economic role of Myanmar has increased, leading to more equal relations with the United States of America.Design/methodology/approachThis paper employs a qualitative research design, analyzing data from both primary and secondary sources. The methodology includes a literature review and document analysis to gain a comprehensive understanding of the USA–Myanmar bilateral relationship. The research also analyzes political and economic developments in Myanmar and the region, placing the USA policy in a broader context.FindingsThe research finds that the USA has been an influential player in Myanmar's politics and economy. However, with Myanmar's integration into the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative and its accession to Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), its economic role has become more significant, leading to a more balanced relationship with the USA. The paper also shows that the USA's policy toward Myanmar has undergone significant changes, particularly after the 2011 easing of sanctions by former President Barack Obama.Originality/valueAlthough many works have traced the history of USA–Myanmar ties, this study provides a fresh perspective by setting past events against the backdrop of contemporary geopolitical upheavals, therefore highlighting the complex evolution of their bilateral dynamics. The paper contributes to the literature on the USA–Myanmar bilateral relationship by providing a comprehensive analysis of the relationship from a historical perspective. The research also adds to the discussion of the implications of political and economic developments in Myanmar for the bilateral relationship with the USA. The findings of this study have important implications for policymakers and scholars interested in the USA's role in Southeast Asia and its relations with rising regional powers like China.

Littoral Piracy in Colonial Nigeria: The Lagos Lagoon in The Interwar Years

Abstract: The antiquity of piracy in Nigeria's coastal waters has been traced to the precolonial period, especially the nineteenth century. However, the period of British colonial rule, specifically, the interwar years, has been neglected in the literature. This paper examines piracy on the Lagos Lagoon during the interwar years in the framework of concurrent concepts of piracy. It contributes to the literature on piracy by reclassifying piratical acts in association with specific water bodies. Hence, this case study of "littoral piracy" is situated in the geography, population movements, economic activities, and colonial policing in the Lagos Lagoon system. Several incidents reported between 1918 and 1937 highlight the incidence of piracy, the attendant human and material toll, the consequent police operations, and judicial adjudication of these incidents. The paper demonstrates how littoral piracy evolved as organized (state-backed) and haphazard (freelance) enterprises in changing contexts of contested and uncontested hegemonies during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

English

This article presents implications of education and training policies on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) from the pre-colonial Kenya to date based on systematic review of education policies and related literature. In the pre-colonial period the non-formal and informal vocational training was demand driven, relevant and flexible. Throughout the colonial period, the Kenyan natives developed negative attitude towards formal TVET because it was introduced and managed to suit the aspirations of missionaries and colonialists and so were there commendations of the various education commissions. At independence, and to appeal to the populace, the administrative and policy direction in the Country reinforced this negativity. On the other hand, there were indications that the government and policy makers saw TVET as a key solution to industrialization and the perennial youth unemployment menace. Through out the sixties, seventies, eighties and nineties the government’s enthusiasm for TVET resulted in inertia, gaining momentum in the turn of the millennium and peaking with the promulgation of the Kenya Vision 2030 and the Kenya 2010 Constitution. However, well-meaning policies are yet to translate in production of adequate and competent middle level professionals to drive innovative economy and industrialization. As a way forward, the government needs to take the lead and coordinate reforms in this multifaceted and policy crowded field with many players, and create a robust TVET ecosystem to accelerate production of right skills for jobs in the Country.   Key words: Education polices, Kenya education system, technical and vocational education and training, competency-based education and training, right skills.

Interwoven Landscapes: Gender and Land in the Kafue Flats, Zambia

This paper examines changes in formal and informal land access rules for women in the Kafue Flats of southern Zambia and identifies alternatives to land privatization. In rural African communities dependent on subsistence production, access to common pool resources (CPRs) such as fisheries, wildlife or wild fruits made an important contribution to household food and nutritional security. In the pre-colonial period, the use of agricultural land and associated CPRs was governed by local institutions of common property, characterized by more-than-human relationships embedded in the local animistic ontology. To examine how women’s pre-colonial access rights were increasingly disregarded in the wake of new statutory laws, we analyzed qualitative ethnographic data on livelihoods and food security from three time periods between 2002 and 2018. The findings show how customary law land tenure has remained important, despite being complemented by statutory law designed to also protect women’s property rights. We conclude that women’s customary access rights to land and CPRs must be taken into account in the drafting of formal legislation, as suggested by successful examples of bottom-up institution building in other regions.

GPR survey on underwater archaeological site: A case study at Jenipapo stilt village in the eastern Amazon region, Brazil

In this work we present and discuss the results of a pioneering Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) survey performed at the underwater archaeological stilt village called Jenipapo in the eastern Amazon region. Jenipapo stilt village is located on the Turiaçu River, Maranhão State, Northeast of Brazil. The region is known as the Maranhense wetland where settlements were built by indigenous populations that inhabited this region during the pre-colonial period (∼AD 1 – 1100). These settlements were built on the margin of rivers and lakes, being supported by wooden pillars, corresponding to prehistoric stilt houses. The objectives of this research are to refine the wooden pillars location at the Turiaçu River bottom and guide the search for underwater archaeological artifacts. A total of twelve GPR profiles were acquired with 270 MHz antennas using a rubber boat. The GPR results indicated clear signal reflection from the river bottom and several diffraction hyperbolas suspended over the river bottom related to the top of the wooden pillars. To support the interpretation of the results, a GPR numerical modeling was performed to simulate the diffraction hyperbolas suspended in the water related to the wooden pillars. The synthetic result presented a good agreement with real data. Finally, the location of several diffraction hyperbolas can guide the divers to find and collect archaeological artifacts around the underwater wooden pillars that are the best evidence of the stilt houses of indigenous settlements found in the eastern Amazon region. Several archaeological artifacts were found during previous work, including ceramic materials. The results of this research show the capability of the GPR method to map an underwater wooden pillar and increase the probability of finding archaeological artifacts on the river bottom, which contributes to improve the knowledge of the Amazonian archaeology in Brazil.

Determinant of architectural features of Istana Bandar Alaeddin Selangor

Architecture developed by humanity is the most sophisticated phenomenon relevant to the context of the environment, which is the context in which man and his environment interact with each other, were an essential component of architectural heritage growth. In this study, the main purpose is to look at the presence of art man-made construction of the palace, a building that played a significant role in the history of Malaysia. In this study context, a palace can be an olden history meant a residence for the ruler or head of the state, and often served as a place of administration. This palace can be seen in Malaysia for a certain period. This study will address the closely related evolution of the architectural features of the Palace in Malaysia that can be seen from the pre-colonial period, the colonial era, and before independence. The method of this study used a qualitative researcher observation. Architecture elements and features will adequately determine. Istana Bandar Alaeddin was chosen and considered a unique design element of royal palace architecture. The spatial organization of the palace is put together to make it work the way it does. The primary result shows that the conquerors of the past events made their influence touch on the development of architecture in Malaysia as a sign in the features of the Palace building together with vernacular concepts hybrid with different cultures. Thus, this finding can be a documentation of architectural features to become a reference for future generations about our previous culture and history and for authority to maintain and conserve this heritage building.

Managing Waste: The Provisioning of Public Latrines and the Disposal of Night Soil in Southern Gold Coast (Ghana), c. 1878–1950

Abstract Although Gold Coast Africans in the pre-colonial period believed that supernatural forces were the final causes of diseases, they were also clearly aware of the health implications of indiscriminate defecation and other environmental pollutants. Two types of latrines existed in the Gold Coast to displace excrement beyond the healthful space of the community. One existed inside the house, which European writers referred to as privy huts. The second type was communal latrines located on the outskirts of the town boundary. Irrespective of the true conditions, European adventurers and later colonial officials viewed the Gold Coast through the prism of the racial politics of the “civilizing mission.” They conceived toileting techniques and practices as well as the management of excrement among Africans as “primitive,” unhygienic, and therefore, anathema to “civilization.” This article examines the provision of latrines and the management and disposal of human excrement in the southern Gold Coast during the colonial period. It demonstrates that despite European claims to superior toileting techniques, latrines provided by the colonial administration before the twentieth century were mostly ad hoc, inadequate, very basic, and inefficient. Similarly, colonial technologies for disposing excrement proved inefficient. Thus, the management of human waste in the Gold Coast posed technocratic barriers to public health and highlighted the limits of colonial measures and technologies.

The Intersection of Islamic Law and Nationhood in Contemporary Indonesia

This article analyses the dynamic and diverse role that Islamic law plays in the process of nation-building that is currently taking place in Indonesia. It is discussed in great depth how significant Islamic law is to Indonesian society, beginning with its origins in pre-colonial periods and continuing up to the present day. It covers the political, economic, and social consequences that have developed as a direct consequence of Indonesia's adoption of Islamic law as its official legal system. These ramifications have arisen as a direct consequence of Indonesia's adoption of Islamic law as its official legal system. These consequences have been experienced by people in every region of the country. In this article, the challenges that arise when attempting to apply Islamic law in a nation as diverse and democratic as Indonesia are acknowledged and discussed. Among these are mending the breach between religious conservatism and secularism and creating a happy medium between the ideals of Islamic law and human rights. Despite these challenges, the article emphasizes how important it is for Indonesia's many different religious and cultural communities to maintain open lines of communication and work together. This article demonstrates how important it is to build a society in which the rights of each citizen are respected and safeguarded. In light of respect for the varied history of Indonesia, the author finishes the piece with a call for national solidarity to achieve peace and prosperity in Indonesia.

Traditional Economy in Northern Nigeria: Pre-1968 Economic Activities of the Gungawa of Yauri and Borgu Emirates

This paper examines what some scholars of Economic History such as A.G. Hopkins described as ‘Domestic Economy’ or what others like T.B. Ingawa and G.O. Ogunremi referred to as ‘Pre-Colonial Economy’ of African people. The Economic History of a people is an account of how the people in a particular place or a community earned their living in the past. The primary focus of this paper is an examination of economic activities of the Gungawa before their forceful resettlement from their traditional homeland on the numerous islands and banks of River Niger in Yauri and Borgu Emirates to the eastern and western banks of the river as a result of the construction of Kainji Dam. Although discussions in the paper centre on the pre-colonial period, the scope of the paper is extended to almost two decades after colonial period because the resettlement in 1968 produced everlasting consequences on the pre-1968 economic activities of the Gungawa.

The history of regional relations of the peoples of Jibal Nuba in the 16th–20th centuries

The article is devoted to regional relations of the tribal groups of the Jibal Nuba region of the South Kordofan province in Sudan. The Islamization of these tribes, which lasted for a period of more than a century, seriously changed the traditional way of life, contributed to demographic transformations, and contributed to the integration of local residents into Sudanese society. At the same time, one can observe deformations in the political course of local leaders who are trying to achieve a weakening of ties with the center and oppose initiatives aimed at a compromise and a peaceful solution to all regional problems. It is traced from the complex and controversial history of relationships during both the pre-colonial period and the period of the Anglo-Egyptian condominium after 1898. Particular attention in the material provided is given to the contacts of the Jibal Nuba tribes with neighboring Arab tribes. They are ready for positive interaction at the clan and tribal level. The article also examines the history of relations between the Nuba and the state formations that arose after the consolidation of Islam as a state doctrine in the Sultanate of the Funj with its center in Sennar in the 16 th century. Along with this, there were active contacts with other Muslim states, primarily with the sultanate in Darfur and small state formations in Kordofan.

Development of Indian Tax System: Pre and Post-Colonial Influences

This article examines the origins, growth, and development of taxation practices in India. Based on multiple perspectives from historical research, the article divides up developments in the Indian tax system into four different governance regimes. These are the pre-colonial period (Ancient and Medieval), the colonial period (1857–1947), India as a Sovereign State under the 1950 Constitution (1950–1991) and post-economic liberalisation (1991–2020). In each of these periods, several major taxation developments that occurred in the country are reviewed, and the article highlights how different political and governance systems influenced the changes in the Indian tax system. Based on such changes and influence, the study also proposes agenda for future research. The article makes significant contributions to economic and business history research from a developing economy perspective and provides insights for any future developments in relation to tax systems.