article
Land law and land holdings among Valley Tonga of Zambia
Southwestern journal of anthropology • 22 (1) • Published In 1966 • Pages: 1-8
By: Colson, Elizabeth.
Abstract
In this article Colson is concerned with the theoretical-methodological point that there can be unanticipated variations in land tenure and rights under a given set of land laws. To illustrate this point Colson discusses Tonga land laws, rights and tenure patterns with special focus on the changes in these from 1956-1957 to 1962-1963. She states that the Tonga laws about obtaining, using and disposing of land have remained the same, but the predominant mode of obtaining land has changed. In the past, most Tonga lands were obtained from kin. After resettlement due to construction of the Kariba Dam, most land was obtained by claiming and clearing unsettled land, and rghts to the use and eventual disposition of land varied according to the mode in which the land was obtained. Consequently, patterns of use and inheritance have changed despite the constancy of Tonga laws. The article is highly specific, drawing on social relations and human-land relations only where they relate functionally to land tenure.
- HRAF PubDate
- 2014
- Region
- Africa
- Sub Region
- Southern Africa
- Document Type
- article
- Evaluation
- Creator Type
- Ethnologist
- Document Rating
- 5: Excellent Primary Data
- Analyst
- Eleanor Swanson ; John Beierle ; 1976
- Field Date
- 1956-1957, 1962-1963
- Coverage Date
- 1956-1963
- Coverage Place
- Chezia, central-eastern Southern province, Zambia
- Notes
- Elizabeth Colson
- Includes bibliographical references (p. 7-8)
- LCCN
- 47005758
- LCSH
- Tonga (Zambezi people)