Zambia History
Zambia History: In precolonial Africa, trade took three main forms. The first was local trade, carried out by people living near each other, often in village markets where locally produced goods were exchanged. The second type, termed “regional trade” by Vansina, took place over longer distances, involving different cultural groups within a state or neighboring communities.
This trade occurred at marketplaces near borders or in state capitals. The third type was long-distance trade. To understand its nature, it is essential to examine how local trade developed. Many assume African trade began only with the export of gold, ivory, and slaves, but these were just prominent outcomes of wider economic exchanges within Africa and between Africa and external markets.
Local trade mainly involved goods for daily use, such as food, metal tools, pottery, and clothing. Although barter was common, items like wire, copper crosses, beads, and cloth were sometimes used as currency due to their widespread demand. Permanent markets did not exist, but chiefs’ palaces often served as redistribution centers, enhancing their influence over their people. The extent of local trade in 19th-century Zambia determined participation in long-distance trade.
Established trade networks connected the African interior to the coast, stimulating both local production and exports. Early European visitors, including missionary David Livingstone, documented the trade they encountered in Africa. Before European arrival, long-distance trade was rare in Central Africa, becoming widespread in 19th-century Zambia.
This direct trade primarily involved European goods, though slaves and iron were also major commodities. By 1840, the Luvale in northwestern Zambia were trading slaves for guns with the Mbundu of Bihe. Sibetwane of the Kololo leveraged his position in the Upper Zambezi to expand his trading network. Throughout the 19th century, Zambian economies were shaped by the ivory and slave trades.
From 1852 onwards, traders from Angola, called the Mambari, frequently visited Barotseland, exchanging guns and cloth for ivory and occasional Kololo slaves. By 1800, Zambia was integrated into trading networks linked to the Nyamwezi of Tanzania and the Arabs of Zanzibar. The Nyamwezi reached as far as Katanga’s copper mines, with a caravan arriving at Kazembe’s capital in 1855. Msiri, a prominent Arab trader, was active in northern Zambia and shifted the focus of long-distance trade.
Some traders overpowered local chiefs to expand their influence. In 1867, Tippu Tip defeated the Tabwa to dominate the ivory trade. The Arab presence destabilized local politics, with some rulers forming alliances with Arab traders for support in succession disputes. In 1872, a Lunda prince sought Arab backing to overthrow Kazembe, successfully taking the throne with their assistance, altering the kingdom’s political landscape.
Since then, Lunda princes have been closely monitored at the capital and denied political power. Long-distance trade extended across colonial Zambia, overlapping with the Luba Lomani empire. The largest Luba kingdom, founded by Kongolo and Kalala Ilunga, expanded into Bisa territory, linking trade routes to the east coast by 1780. Trade was also connected to the west coast via Luanda. By 1800, the Bisa extended their trade beyond Kazembe, with whom they had traded since 1760. They were known for dealing in ivory and slaves.
The Kazembe kingdom’s establishment and long-distance trade enhanced Zambia’s traditional economy, fostering regional specialization. The Lamba specialized in ironworking, enabling them to engage in long-distance trade. The Ushi of today’s Luapula Province produced iron and copper weapons, giving them a competitive advantage. The Shila and Tabwa, near Lake Mwelu, focused on salt production. These commodities linked Luba Lomani and Kazembe through trade networks.
Copper crosses from Kazembe served as currency in Luba Lomani, prompting annual trade expeditions to acquire them. As Luba Lomani expanded, long-distance trade accelerated, with new trading groups like the Nyamwezi reaching Kazembe in the early 19th century, followed later by Arabs. The rise of long-distance trade in precolonial Zambia fueled kingdom expansion while others fell.
Around 1860, Msiri became the first long-distance trader to seize political power in Katanga and Mpande’s copper-rich region. Establishing direct trade routes to both east and west coasts, he significantly increased his political authority. Long-distance trade played a key role in Zambia’s eventual colonization.
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