The Nyamwezi people were prominent participants in long distance trade. These people of west central Tanzania developed Long Distance trade in several directions before the coastal traders came to their land. They pioneered caravan routes west wards to Lake Tanganyika and beyond into the upper Zaire region, southwards to Shaba, Northwards to Buganda and about 1800, they reached the east coast.
They occupied a strategic position along the central routes from Zanzibar to the interior. This was a vital factor in Nyamwezi development and active participation in trade during the nineteenth century. This also enabled the Nyamwezi to expand the volume of trade between the interior tribes and the coastal traders
The Nyamwezi supplied iron equipment and sold to Gogo in return for food products. They obtained salt from the coastal traders and supplied it to the interior such as those in Zaire, Ankole and Bunyoro.
From the 1840s, the Nyamwezi hunted elephants and sold ivory on a large scale to the coastal Arabs and Swahili traders. This became one of the major trading commodities for the Nyamwezi. They hunted elephants as far as Zaire and in the later period, they even supplied elephants to the coastal Arabs.
The Nyamwezi further supplied copper from Katanga to the interior tribes particular by the Ha and Sumbwa, who began to make wire bungle and ornaments out of copper and iron. This proved extremely popular with people living along the trade routes. Later the copper was also used as a form of currency.
The Nyamwezi kept and supplied livestock for example, cattle, sheep, goats, and donkeys, to the coastal Arabs and Swahili traders. They exchanged the animals for other products and as early as 1831, the Nyamwezi hired out the donkeys to transport some of the goods to the coast and back to the interior.
The Nyamwezi further acted as middlemen between the interior and the coastal Arabs and Swahili traders. Their central position gave them the advantage to co-ordinate trading transactions between the interior and the coast.
The Nyamwezi also acted as porters for the Arabs and Swahili traders. By 1860's, this had turned out to be a profession. Then they hired out their labour services and there fore facilitated the transportation of goods between the coast and the interior in the absence of better means of transport.
In the later years, the Nyamwezi supplied slaves to the coastal; Arabs and Swahili traders. Under the rule of Mirambo and Nyamwezi, they extended their territories by exploring the trade in ivory, and slaves using the Ruga - Ruga and Maviti mercenaries. These raided neighbouring small and weaker states and sold the captives to the slave traders.
By 1850s' some Nyamwezi merchants had established trading posts on the far side of the Lake Tanganyika. The most famous of them was called Ngelengwa, better known as Msiri. He even extended to settle in Katanga with his band of followers, married into the chiefly family of the area and began to establish a personal empire. He later became the chief supplier of ivory and copper to the interior tribes of East Africa.
The Nyamwezi further provided security on the caravan routes between the coast and the interior. Rulers like Mirambo, Nyungu Ya-Mawe and Msiri offered their guards to protect and guide the caravans into the interior. Hence, they provided a conducive atmosphere of security for the growth of commerce and trade.
The rulers of the Nyamwezi particularly Mirambo signed commercial treaties easy flow of trade. Mirambo also established friendly relationships with the interior rulers like Kabaka Mutesa of Buganda, Tipu-Tip and Msiri. This created a conducive atmosphere for the development of commercial links between the coast and the interior.
Why the Nyamwezi joined Long Distance trade
The Nyamwezi lay in the central trade route that forced them to join the trade comfortably,
Presence of items of trade like copper and slaves forced the Nyamwezi to carry out the trade.
The Nyamwezi were very active physically and provided labour in the trade.
The need for new goods from the coast e.g. clothes, daggers, and mirrors persuaded the Nyamwezi to join the trade.
The need for wealth from the trade in order to develop economically.
Presence of adventurous Unyamwezi who loved travelling encouraged them to join the Long Distance Trade.
Presence of traditional patterns of trade among the Nyamwezi.
Nyamwezi wanted market for their agricultural produce which the Long Distance Trade would provide.
The rise of Mirambo who organised the Nyamwezi Empire as a trading post in turn made it possible and easy for the Nyamwezi to join the trade.
The need to obtain guns for expansion and defence among the Nyamwezi.
The Nyamwezi were hospitable, they welcomed Arabs and traded with them harmoniously.
They wanted to exchange their animal products with the coastal peoples who engaged in this lucrative trade.
Why the Nyamwezi Long Distance Trade declined from 1880 Onwards
There was stiff competition from the Arabs. Following the treaty between Seyyid Said and Nyamwezi Chief Fundikira around 1839 they faced a strong competition.
After this treaty, the Arabs had to set up their station at Tabora, the Nyamwezi did not react immediately and they made friendly relations as long as the Arabs did not seem to be monopolizing their trade and at that time they were few in number and when time went on, their numbers increased which caused concern among the Nyamwezi.
Moreover the Arabs had begun to take a long share of trade without using Nyamwezi as middlemen. This created stiff competition, which the Nyamwezi failed to cope up with. In 1805, the Arabs killed the Nyamwezi Chief Myasele.
At the same time the effects of the Ngoni Invasion were also being felt by Tanganyika and this disrupted the smoothness of Long Distance Trade. This affected the Nyamwezi although later with the rise of Mirambo and Nyungu-ya-mawe it grew up again but with the death of these two chiefs in 1884. The Nyamwezi began to loose hope of Long Distance Trade.
Their empires failed to get strong successors and as such the Nyamwezi failed to fight against the Arabs who with their guns were in a better condition to break down the Nyamwezi monopoly. Moreover the Nyamwezi were betrayed themselves as some joined the Arabs undermined the strength of Nyamwezi community.
Added to the above, with the rise of other participants such as Banyoro, Ganda and the Akamba plus the Arabs led a wise source where to obtain items such as ivory and slaves. For this matter they saw no need to restrict themselves in Nyamwezi economy. These weakened the Nyamwezi and contributed their role of control the monopoly of trade.
Besides the above, ivory was becoming scarce as elephant population had been depleted throughout the regions of central Tanganyika and beyond.
More to that the abolition of slave trade left Nyamwezi with no basis of trade items hence killing their trade links in the interior.
In conclusion therefore, the Nyamwezi had played a fundamental role as middlemen in the Long Distance Trade which led to their growth and prosperity until the coming of colonial rule that abolished slave trade and replaced it with legitimate trade instead of Long Distance Trade.
We are examining the topic are the following sub topics.
Factors that led to the growth ofthe long distance trade
Problems faced by the long distance traders
Role of the Baganda in Long Distance Trade
The Yao in the long distance trade
The Impact of long distance treade
Reasons for the collapse of Long Distance Trade
Why did the Arabs had little interest in the interior of East Africa up 1840?