article
The role of cattle in the Ila economy: a conflict of views on the uses of cattle by the Ila of Namwala
African social research • 15 • Published In 1973 • Pages: 327-361
By: Fielder, Robin J..
AbstractBrief abstract written by HRAF anthropologists who have done the subject indexing for the document
This document presents an argument against long-standing policy views that tend to portray the herding practices of eastern African pastoral societies as backward—-irrationally bounded by mystical and ritual devotion to livestock. Drawing on statistical data and actual observation of cattle markets among the Ila of Zambia, the author posits that traditional herders are as economically rational as modern private enterprises. This is revealed in the dynamic, calculative nature of locally functioning mechanisms for cattle transactions, ranging from bride price payment to ritual slaughtering in funerals.
- SubjectsDocument-level OCM identifiers given by the anthropology subject indexers at HRAF
- Cultural identity and pride
- Functional and adaptational interpretations
- Domesticated animals
- Pastoral activities
- Applied animal science
- Property in movables
- Buying and selling
- Exchange transactions
- Internal trade
- Research and development
- Medium of exchange
- Acculturation and culture contact
- Functional and adaptational interpretations
- Ethics
- Saving and investment
- Borrowing and lending
- Burial practices and funerals
- Inheritance
- cultureCulture name from the Outline of World Cultures (OWC)
- Ila
- HRAF PubDateThe date HRAF published the document
- 2015
- RegionThe area the document pertains to
- Africa
- Sub RegionThe more specific area the document pertains to, which is located within the Region
- Southern Africa
- Document TypeMay include journal articles, essays, collections of essays, monographs, or chapters/parts of monographs
- article
- Evaluation
- Creator TypeThe type of person writing the document, e.g. Ethnographer, Missionary, Archaeologist, Folklorist, Linguist, Indigenous Person, and so on.
- Anthropologist
- Document Rating A ranking done by HRAF anthropologists based on the strength of the source material on a scale of 1 to 5, as follows: 1 - poor; 2 - fair; 3 - good, useful data, but not uniformly excellent; 4 - excellent secondary data; 5 - excellent primary data.
- 5: Excellent Primary Data
- AnalystThe HRAF anthropologist who subject indexed the document and prepared other materials for the eHRAF culture/tradition collection
- Teferi Abate Adem; 2014
- Field DateThe date the researcher conducted the fieldwork or archival research that produced the document
- 1966-1969
- Coverage DateThe date or dates that the information in the document pertains to
- 1917-1970
- Coverage PlaceLocation of the research culture or tradition (often a smaller unit such as a band, community, or archaeological site)
- Namwala and Itezhi-Tezhi districts, Southern Province, Zambia
- NotesAdditional notes
- by Robin J. Fielder
- Includes bibliographical references (p. 360-361)
- LCCNLibrary of Congress Control Number
- 72013521
- LCSHLibrary of Congress Subject Headings
- Ila (African people)