Slavery in African Societies

Credit: tes.com

In their landmark study of slavery in Africa, anthropologists Susanne Miers and Igor Kopytoff wrote that whereas freedom is considered to be the opposite of slavery in the West for African societies, “the opposite of slavery is belonging.” After surveying the institution of slavery across Africa, Miers and Kopytoff found that African societies sought to incorporate captives into the lineage group of their captors even though the process occurred over generations. Read the excerpt from Scottish explorer Mungo Park’s account of slavery along the Gambia River and the interviews by German Missionary Koelle compiled by historian P.E.H. Hair. How do these accounts help you better understand the meaning of slavery in African societies? What do these first-hand accounts tell you about the different types of institutions of “slavery” in Africa during the era of the transatlantic slave trade? Include one question for discussion.