Trade and Transformation Participation in the Ivory Trade in Late 19th Century East and... - 1 views
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ivory had important and widespread political meanings as a sign of authority and an item of tribute.
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ivory could be translated into value both in the sphere of subsistence production and reproduction, and in the sphere of production for trade.
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Tippu Tip.
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Tippu Tip, also known as Hamed bin Muhammad el Murjebi, was a 19th-century trader, slave trader, and plantation owner who played a significant role in the history of East Africa. He was born in Zanzibar in 1837 and was the son of a successful merchant. Tippu Tip began his career as a trader, dealing in ivory and other goods. He later became involved in the slave trade, trading in slaves captured from interior regions of East Africa and selling them to buyers in Zanzibar and elsewhere. He also owned plantations in what is now Tanzania, where he employed slave labor to produce cloves, coffee, and other crops. Despite his involvement in the slave trade, Tippu Tip was also known for his diplomatic skills and his ability to navigate the complex political landscape of East Africa. He formed alliances with local rulers and played a significant role in the Arab-led slave trade networks that operated in the region.
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Ruth Rempel examines the impact of the ivory trade on African societies and the processes of economic and social change that it brought about. She also explains how factors such as political factors, the consultate of Zanzibar, and caravan routes played a role. Rempel argues that the ivory trade created new patterns of trade and exchange, with local African communities acting as intermediaries between the interior and the coast, where European traders were based. These communities were drawn into the trade by the lure of European goods, such as firearms, cloth, and beads, and were able to accumulate wealth and power through their participation in the trade. At the same time, Rempel notes that the ivory trade also disrupted traditional social and economic relationships, causing conflict between different groups competing for control of the trade. European powers played a major role in shaping the ivory trade in Africa, using their control of coastal ports and trade routes to further their imperial ambitions and secure access to ivory and other resources.