Ch. 18 Colonial Encounters

10. The young boys with severed hands in the picture titled “Colonial Violence in the Congo” on page 803, were among the victims of a brutal regime of forced labor undertaken in the Congo during the late 19^thand early 20^thcenturies. Such mutilation as punishment for their villages’ inability to supply the required amount of wild rubber. Discuss… what would you share in a class discussion group about this photo?

Seeing this photo for the first time my first impressions was "Wow." These were young boys and the brutality and pain they faced were unimaginable. The forced cultivation of cash crops was successful among colonial authorities but not for the Congo people. As one man shares his experience, "And yet the German wanted us to pay him tax. Were we not human beings?" I read a lot about how dogs and animals were treated better than the enslaved people and honestly, it couldn't be any more true. These people went through HELL! Seeing the photograph of the young boys really demonstrates that these colonial authorities had no remorse. Just from this one photograph one can tell how much they are suffering for themselves and for their people. They're barefoot, skinny, and tired. It makes me wonder what other people's impressions were when they saw this photo. 

11. How did cash-crop agriculture transform the lives of colonized peoples?

Many Asian and African peoples were producing an international market and offered trade items like peanuts and palm oil in West Africa. Other trading items included cotton in Egypt, spices in Indonesia, and pepper and textiles in India. In some areas, there was an increased cash-crop production by local farmers like rice. There were no more exports of rice and now farmers were provided with irrigation and transportation facilities, and ownership of small farms. Not only did the production of cash-crops improved, so did the wellbeing of others because of how they were living. In addition, this practice of colonial development was also reached in the Mekong River where there were environmental consequences. There was mass destruction of mangrove forests, dikes and irrigation channels that use of the soil's resources, and large amounts of methane gas being generated. African farmers also took the initiative to develop and export cacao, used to make chocolate. There was less labor time and essentially easier to produce than cotton. Although as something as good as producing their own crop and being successful at it, problems awakened. There was a labor shortage that "brought a huge influx of migrants from the drier interior parts of West Africas, generating ethnic and class tensions." 

13. How were the lives of African women in particular altered by colonial economies?

The lives of African women were altered by having more domestic responsibilities and more opportunities. Women were in charge of planting, weeding, and harvesting as well as food preparation and child care. Women were expected to feed their own families. A woman's workload was increased as men wanted to grow their own personal field. Since men were seeking employment in cities, settler farms, or mines,  wives were left to manage the domestic economy usually or almost alone. In addition, women had to make food to men in the cities and also took over the tasks of men. These tasks included planting, milking the cows, and supervising the herds. Since the majority of men were absent in maintaining the domestic economy, women went back to their families instead of with their husband's family. These women made their own and new, improved farm equipment, laborsaving crops, and also earned money as traders. In the city, they established a self-help association where prostitutes and brewers were included. I enjoy the fact that women made a difficult situation into something greater and successful since men were basically useless to them after so much time being alone. Women thrived and dominated the economy by selling food, cloth, and inexpensive imported goods. One example of becoming successful women were the Nupe women in Nigeria gaining more wealth than the men in their households. Cassava was a big cash value compared to men growing yams. This is the beginning of the independence of the woman where they made their own profit! I love a good story about the empowerment of women.