The Yao in the long distance trade
The Yao lived in southern Tanganyika. They used to travel long distances across the border to Mozambique, Malawi and coastal areas of East Africa; they were the first to join the long distance trade.
The Yao dominated the southern caravan routes that linked the coastal town of Kilwa to the Northern communities of Mozambique, Malawi and indeed into the interior of central Africa to the interior of Mwanamotapa.
Under powerful chiefs such as Mpanda, Mataka, Macheba, and Mtalika, the trade along the southern route remained predominantly in Yao's hands. Coastal traders who travelled in kind came as customers of their rulers. They brought guns, cloth, beads and glass in exchange for slaves.
The Yao became the chief suppliers of slaves to the coastal Arabs and Swahili traders. In the 19th century, they are remembered as the most active slave traders with growing demand of slaves at the coast and the fact that the Yao rulers wanted to increase their political powers.
The Yao also became the most prominent ivory traders between Malawi and Kilwa. They exchanged their ivory with the coastal traders for the product, items needed by the interior tribes. They ventured into central Africa to hunt for elephants and ivory.
The Yao further became chief suppliers of gold to the coastal traders. Gold was collected from the kingdom of Monomotapa and brought to Kilwa. The rulers of the Yao states gained a lot of wealth to purchase firearms and ammunition for strengthening their military power.
The Yao also provided security to the trade caravans. They acted as guides and guards to the trade caravans deep in the interior of central Africa to collect trade items which they highly demanded at the coast.
The Yao also acted as middlemen between the coastal traders and the tribes of the interior. They guided the coastal traders to areas where they collected the goods themselves from Kilwa and exchanged directly with the interior tribes. It should be noted that the influence of the coastal traders was quite limited in the Yao states.
The Yao established large chiefdoms Northwards and southwards as far as the eastern shores of lake Malawi to Shire valley south of the lake. The Yao commercial contracts were wide spread to the country of Ceve and Bisa. The most famous of these powerful chiefs was Mataka 1, who lived from about 1800 to the late 1870s. He is believed to have had 600 wives.
The Yao rulers often employed Swahili secretaries to make it easy to carry on their business and diplomatic communication with the coast. These usually acted as interpreters between the coastal traders and the interior tribes.
The Yao further introduced the Swahili Arab influence to southern Tanzania for example they introduced styles of architecture and clothing. David Living Stone once remarked.
" Chief Mataka 1 gave me a square house to live in and indeed most of the houses are square for the Arabs are initiated in every thing."[1]
Many Yao became Moslems and there was growing Islamic community along the shores of Lake Malawi. Mosque and Koranic schools were established.
The Yao remained hostile to a number of European visitors because they were afraid of losing their trade. However it must be emphasised that slave raids and slave trade left many villages deserted and destroyed.
It was towards the end of the century that the Yao active participation in the long distance trade came to an end because of German colonisation of Tanganyika.
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?