| dc.description.abstract | The role of trade in African societies during the
Pre-Colonial period is a factor which is often underestimated.
In Gusii society, trade was an important
aspect of their subsistence economy during the 19th
century. For as well as catering for subsistence
requirements, trade acted as a window through which the
Gusii who otherwise would have been an inwardlooking
people, were able to make connections with their neighbouring
tribes. Through trade, the small Gusii society
isolated from friendly neighbours and bordered by tribes
of unrelated language families - the Luo, the Maasai
and the Kipsigis who were often hostile to her - was able
to come into close ties with these peoples resulting into
social and cultural interractions.
This paper, which is divided into five chapters and
an introduction, sets out to examine this phenomenon.
The first chapter begins by setting the background or
stage upon which economic activities and agriculture were
carried out. T,he historical background and the geographical
setting are examined. The importance of geography in
influencing agriculture and economic activities is highlighted.
Chapter two surveys agriculture and economic
activities which include, pastoralism, iron making,
soapstone working, poison making, pottery and basketry.
Chapter 3 examines trade, its nature and scope. External
trade emerges out as being more significant than
internal trade. Methods of exchange in which the
barter principle is the most significant are also
examined. Finally, the Arab factor is dealt with. Their
role in Gusii during the 19th century is shown to be
of little significance as their interraction brought very
little modification to the Gusii traditional methods of
trading. Chapter four is devoted to consequences of
trade, the importance of trade as a subsistence requirement,
in fostering cultural and social interractions with
neighbouring tribes. Internal trade failed to solve
clan differences.
The concluding chapter sums up the role of trade
in Gusii society during the 19th century. A number of
tentative conclusions are reached, an important one being
that Gusii people in the 19th century do not seem to
have shown much interest in trading for accumulation
purposes. This is explained by the fact that trade was
more valued as a subsistence requirement.
Finally the chapter ends by re-emphasising the
role of geography in influencing the pattern and mode of
trade. | en |
