History Panyarring

1 history

1.1 gold coast
1.2 yorùbáland
1.3 dahomey
1.4 elsewhere

history

panyarring became large-scale activity in west africa largely increase in atlantic slave trade. lengthy trade networks hundreds of miles inland coast required complex forms of credit relationships , pawnship used extensively both africans , european traders. however, had different system , structure in each different area along atlantic coast.

gold coast

cape coast slave castle, main british fort in gold coast slave trade.

along gold coast, in present-day ghana, panyarring became tool used in slave trade , in contest between dutch, british, , other european powers trade along coast. politically, in 18th century, area of africa populated number of fragmented akan polities without organized central power. increase of slave trading, panyarring became means of seizing persons, regardless of whether there pre-existing loan agreement , holding them hostage, selling them slavery, or seizing goods. regulated relationships between different communities bringing persons palaver courts settlement in front of judge.

panyarring became means of securing people sale atlantic slave trade. debts real or invented, persons seized, , sold european slavers , transported before families of persons seized respond. in addition, slave traders operating away coast panyarred before reach port cities , slaves bringing ports seized , sold.

in 1 case in 1773, obutong chief s sons had been pawns in arrangement sold european slave ship. chief, robin john ephraim, left little choice panyar ships , release sons , other members of tribe seized slave trade.

both europeans , africans began using panyarring extension of political , economic policies in region , range of purported offenses. example, in 1709 british slave traders upset african slave trader allegedly sold them mad slave. when dispute increased, african slave traders panyarred british captain , held him until both sides negotiated outcome. similarly, in 1797 archibald dalzel, british governor of gold coast, panyarred fante priest in anomabo when members of village had refused repay debts british officers because officers had died. dalzel held priest @ cape coast castle week until chief of anomabo agreed repay debts.

europeans use panyarring in order secure food or goods when seemed opportune. 1 british commander noted whenever english wanted goat, sheep, or chicken, go town , take animal. owner come british fort , paid animal, not @ fair market rate.

the neighboring british , dutch forts @ komenda, sites of numerous hostilities , significant panyarring.

the british , dutch incorporated panyarring competitive strategies 1 another. african traders , merchants associated other power panyarred in order disrupt trade or attempt change allegiance of trader. example, in 1688 in port of komenda, dutch panyarred john cabess, powerful african trader loyal british, , although released kept of goods had carried him. insult cabess may have been prominent contributor attacks launched against dutch starting komenda wars (1694–1700), conflict british, dutch, , african parties used panyarring regularly extension of attacks against other parties.

the active panyarring along gold coast in 17th , 18th centuries resulted in situation communities extremely vulnerable members being seized , sold in slave trade or held payment. travel between communities became dangerous , working alone away communities make 1 vulnerable seizure. initially, communities adopted practices try protect panyarring practices creation of asafo, military units provide travel protection or protection communities.

as ashanti empire rose prominence , began consolidating authority tried end practice of panyarring. king kwaku dua panyin banned practice of panyarring around 1838. prohibition required use of military , administrative function of ashanti, , continued until 1883 until overthrow of mensa bonsu , chaos followed. panyarring became active means of securing repayment of debt , political , economic ends again. in 1902, british took on ashanti area , created area of modern-day ghana formal protectorate. 1 of first achievements of new administration end practice of panyarring in colony. brought persons engaged in panyarring court , punished them resulting in large-scale end of practice 1903.

yorùbáland

the main historical cities of yoruba coast modern national boundaries.

evidence of panyarring in yorùbáland, in present-day nigeria, before 1830s limited. european traders threatened panyarring on occasions when disputes arose, did not reach level did along gold coast. in mid-19th century however, documentation shows number of examples of panyarring occurring form of political struggle between various tribes. chiefs allow panyarring within territory, decide use panyarring in rivalry other chiefs, or agree panyarring in exchange money. historian olatunji ojo has discovered number of cases in yorubaland of such activities, including, in 1879, deputy king of city called itebu panyarred mahi man in exchange small fee mahi man accused first of adultery 1 of wives. similarly, egba chief once panyarred members of awori tribe had panyarred young girl in village.

panyarring prime cause of deteriorating relations between different toruba chiefs, causing significant periods of tensions between different groups , directly causing ondo-ikale war of 1891. british expansion in 1880s , 1890s, panyarring decreased in importance throughout yorubaland.

dahomey

the door of no return in whydah. memorial slave trade through port of dahomey.

the kingdom of dahomey, along coast in present-day benin, took on kingdoms of allada , whydah in 1720s , established control on part of atlantic coast , became 1 of main participants in slave trade. allada , whydah had been prominent users of panyarring of contact europeans. king of allada, toward end of 17th century, recorded threatening local traders in default on loans wives taken. similarly, whydah known being particularly hard on debtors because allowed panyarring of persons or goods whenever loans not paid.

dahomey had banned practice of panyarring in 17th century under king houegbadja, requiring debt disputes handled in royal courts. when dahomey conquered allada , whydah practice banned. although kingdom known militarism , slave raids, dahomey did not use panyarring , practice not prominent along known slave coast in 18th , 19th centuries.

elsewhere

panyarring has been described in form during 18th , 19th centuries present-day sierra leone angola along coast of africa. other gold coast or yorubaland, panyarring never reached significant levels. lovejoy , richardson claim prevalence of panyarring largely related structure , ability debt repayment through authorized channels. when credit , debt relationships lack structure, pawnship , panyarring became prominent.

however, panyarring did still affect trade relationships throughout coast @ number of points. prominent bimbia affair. in 1788, british trader bought 30 persons held in pawnship in bimbia, in present-day cameroon, transport americas. among included sons , daughters of king of bimbia gathered significant slaves , ivory pay release, british captain not release them , sailed away. result, locals panyarred 2 other british ships in retaliation until dutch ship captured british ship , returned bimbia persons held on ship. throughout coast, europeans , africans participated in panyarring more until became nonexistent in 20th century.