article

Notes on the history of the Lakeside Tonga of Nyasaland

African studies18 (3) • Published In 1959 • Pages: 105-117

By: Van Velsen, J..

Abstract
Van Velsen writes about Lakeside Tonga history and the difficulty in interpreting oral history, because he argues it is always highly selective in order to support current social structure and power relations. He constructs five periods: I) the ‘dim past,’ ii) the penetration of slave and ivory trading groups, iii) the Ngoni invasion, iv) the waning of Ngoni power and waxing of British power, v) period of British administration. He only discusses periods two through four in this paper. According to van Velsen the Tonga are a heterogeneous group of four separate tribes that coalesced under conditions of trade and war.
Subjects
Traditional history
Historical reconstruction
History
External trade
Ingroup antagonisms
Community heads
External relations
Warfare
culture
Lakeshore Tonga
HRAF PubDate
2001
Region
Africa
Sub Region
Southern Africa
Document Type
article
Evaluation
Creator Type
Ethnographer
Document Rating
4: Excellent Secondary Data
5: Excellent Primary Data
Analyst
Ian Skoggard ;1999
Field Date
1951-1956
Coverage Date
1780-1881
Coverage Place
Nkhata Bay district, Northern Province, Malawi
Notes
by J. van Velsen
Includes bibliographical references
LCCN
45015602
LCSH
Ethnology--Malawi