Traditional African understanding of Wealth and Poverty

4/8/2019

TRADITIONAL AFRICAN UNDERSTANDING OF WEALTH AND POVERTY

Wealth

In African traditional societies wealth was measured in terms of the amount of land, livestock, grains, wives, children possessed by an individual or the community.

Acquiring wealth in T.A.S (Traditional African Society)

Wealth was acquired in various ways:-

As a gift from God
Most Africans believe that wealth is a blessing from God
Inheritance
In cases where the head of the family is dead, the eldest son becomes the custodian of the estate. The clan and community elders give direction on how the wealth is to be shared out
Through payment of bride wealth
such as dowry
Farming
either animal farming or crop farming
Exploitation of natural resources
honey, wood for carving, building materials etc
Trade (Through barter trade)
exchange of goods and services with the aim of making a profit. African communities were involved in barter trade where they exchanged good and services
Raids and warfare
wealth was also acquired by raiding other communities with the aim of stealing goats, sheep and other livestock.
Receiving gifts
from parents, relatives, friends and well wishers
Through hard work, Use of skills and art
in areas such as blacksmith, pottery, wood carving, weaving etc.
Through compensation
settling of disputes resulted to compensation if not of punishment. Compensation was in fines counted with material wealth.
Religious specialists were paid for their services.
services such as medicine-man, sorcery, witch services and other religious and cultural practices attracted wealth through payment of services.

Assignment

State seven ways of acquiring wealth in traditional African communities

Acceptable ways of acquiring wealth in T.A.S

Blessings from God/gift.
Inheritance from parents.
Payment of bride’s wealth.
Farming /livestock.
Exploiting natural resources such as forests.
Barter trade.
Marrying many wives/having many children.

Cattle

People were encouraged to work hard to acquire wealthy honestly
Wealthy people were highly regarded and were considered for leadership position
Wealth was incomplete without a family

Traditional African understanding of Wealth and Poverty

Poverty

Poverty was viewed as punishment or curse for wrongdoing. Other causes of poverty according to African Traditional Society were: -

Laziness
Lack of inheritance
Raids by other communities
Famine
Natural calamities
Sickness — rendering the individual weak to acquire wealth

In acquiring wealth, principles such as value for human life, mutual responsibility, and sharing, communal ownership were emphasized
Places that were communal include grazing land, rivers, and watering places
Laziness was ridiculed through songs, riddles and proverbs.

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List seven ways in which wealth is acquired in traditional African communities. (7 marks)

Wealth is acquired through inheritance
Through payment of bride wealth/dowry
Through farming/livestock rearing
Through barter trade/exchange of goods/services
By marrying many wives/having many children
Through raids/wars
By using skills/talents
By utilizing natural/available resources
Through receiving gifts.

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