"Are there issues in Kenya that have been triggered by British imperialism and still persist until this day? And if that is so, should the British feel guilty about their empire? Or can they be proud of it instead?" This blog is supposed to give you some answers to these questions as well as some insight to basic concepts and ideas about Africa in general. Read the questions and the comments that some Kenyan students have posted. Also have a look at the corresponding links on the right side.
4) Slavery
One of the evils imperialism has brought to (predominantly Western) Africa was slavery. Has slavery had a big effect on Kenya as well? Is there a legacy of slavery in present-day Kenya?
4 comments:
Anonymous
said...
Slavery was not very pronounced in Kenya. It was mostly in Western Africa. In Eastern Africa slavery was mostly a punishment for a crime. So, we don't feel that much affected by slavery.
I would like to mention that slavery also took place in East Africa. The only reason why slavery was not very pronounced in Kenya is because of the Masai. The Masai, a tribe in Kenya, were fierce warriors who attacked anybody stepping onto their land. So the slave traders were afraid of them and stayed out of Kenya. But as far as I know many many people were enslaved in Tanzania. That is why the colonialists found such big masses of land uninhabited.
Your questions makes it sound like slavery never existed before colonialism. But that's not true.
Slavery already existed in Africa way before that, but it was a different type of slavery: slaves were in some way part of the family and they could regain their freedom by working hard. They could even get married to their owner's sons or daughters and climb the social ladder.
What was different about slavery during colonialism was that it was such an inhuman trade. Slaves weren't treated as people, but simply as items of marchandise. And I think the most shocking thing about this trade was that so many native people gained their share of the profit. I don't think slavery could have taken such a big proportion without these people helping the white man in catching people and bringing them to the coast.
Slavery in Western Africa was a really dark chapter in African history.
Even at the risk of people wanting to rip my head off for saying this, I'll still say it:
I think that slavery is the reason why many of us have a low self-esteem. Black skin was associated with inferiority for such a long time that some of us started to feel inferior. And I think all the movements of "black pride" are rather supporting this than stopping people from feeling that way. I think many people still secretely feel that way without admitting it to themselves and that's why they suspect white people of looking down on them. I think that shouldn't be the case anymore these days.
One of the evils imperialism has brought to (predominantly Western) Africa was slavery. Has slavery had a big effect on Kenya as well? Is there a legacy of slavery in present-day Kenya?
4 comments:
Slavery was not very pronounced in Kenya. It was mostly in Western Africa. In Eastern Africa slavery was mostly a punishment for a crime. So, we don't feel that much affected by slavery.
I would like to mention that slavery also took place in East Africa. The only reason why slavery was not very pronounced in Kenya is because of the Masai. The Masai, a tribe in Kenya, were fierce warriors who attacked anybody stepping onto their land. So the slave traders were afraid of them and stayed out of Kenya. But as far as I know many many people were enslaved in Tanzania. That is why the colonialists found such big masses of land uninhabited.
Your questions makes it sound like slavery never existed before colonialism. But that's not true.
Slavery already existed in Africa way before that, but it was a different type of slavery: slaves were in some way part of the family and they could regain their freedom by working hard. They could even get married to their owner's sons or daughters and climb the social ladder.
What was different about slavery during colonialism was that it was such an inhuman trade. Slaves weren't treated as people, but simply as items of marchandise. And I think the most shocking thing about this trade was that so many native people gained their share of the profit. I don't think slavery could have taken such a big proportion without these people helping the white man in catching people and bringing them to the coast.
Slavery in Western Africa was a really dark chapter in African history.
Even at the risk of people wanting to rip my head off for saying this, I'll still say it:
I think that slavery is the reason why many of us have a low self-esteem. Black skin was associated with inferiority for such a long time that some of us started to feel inferior. And I think all the movements of "black pride" are rather supporting this than stopping people from feeling that way. I think many people still secretely feel that way without admitting it to themselves and that's why they suspect white people of looking down on them. I think that shouldn't be the case anymore these days.
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