Note 575 — Chapter II · GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF SLAVERY.
Reading edition
Macdonald remarks that the East-Central African tribes in general have slaves573.
The Manganja suffer much from slave-stealing tribes, but also keep slaves themselves574.
Slavery also exists among the following tribes:
Banyai575,
Wagogo576,
Washambala577,
Wapare578,
Wajao579,
Makonde580,
Wahehe581,
Wachagga582
Wanyamwesi583,
Azimba584,
Wajiji585,
Wapokomo586,
Bondei587.
Among the Wasiba or Basiba slavery is practised, though not to a great extent. “There are few slaves in the country, most of them being women; a male slave generally runs away and joins another chief as a free man588.”
The Wanyakyusa, according to Fülleborn, do not keep slaves589.
Slavery is equally unknown among the Wambugu590.
The Wazaramo have no weapons of war; warfare seems unknown among them. They formerly suffered much from the slave-trade591. We do not know, whether they have slaves; probably they have not.
Peters, in his account of the Maravis, gives some particulars about slaves; but they are not sufficient to decide, whether there is domestic slavery or slave-trade only592.
The Wasinja and Wakerewe export slaves; but slaves are also imported into their country by caravans593. Probably the latter are kept among them; but this short note is not sufficient to draw a positive inference from.
The Wafipa are said never to make slaves or to sell them to traders. When a slave succeeds in arriving at the town of Kapufi, he is considered free. They never make war, though they defend themselves when attacked594.
Among the Wanyaturu slavery is unknown595.
Von Höhnel, visiting the country of the Wakikuyu, found two men, who some years before had joined a caravan and had been left behind because they were ill; from that time they had lived as slaves among the Wakikuyu596. This statement shows, that the Wakikuyu keep slaves for their own use, not for export only.
Of the Wawira we have a detailed description by Emin Pasha. As there is not a word about slaves in it, it is almost certain that slavery does not exist among them597.
Slavery is also very probably not to be found among the Wataveta, minutely described by Thomson, Johnston and Von Höhnel598.