Subject: History

Unit: 3

Form: S.1

Topic: Migration and Settlement in East Africa (1000 –1880)

Sub Topic: The Bantu Migration

Introduction:

Between 1000-1800 AD, East Africa experienced a wave of migrations from different parts of Africa. The Bantu from the Congo or the Niger Delta Basin were the first to arrive, followed by the Luo from Bahr el Ghazel in Southern Sudan and then the Ngoni from Southern Africa.

The study of migrations will help the learners to understand their origin and settlement patterns, appreciate the interrelationship between the different peoples of East Africa like cultures, customs, etc. They will also understand change and continuity in societies i.e. life is not static but dynamic and this explains the current movements of people to different parts of East Africa.

TASK 1: Migration to Cities: Thinking together.

The largest city in Uganda is Kampala. Like many cities in Africa its population is growing fast.

Kampala has well over 1 million people. 40 years ago it only had one-quarter of the people.

The main reason it has grown so quickly is migration.

People have moved to Kampala from towns and villages in all regions of the country.

Thy have come from the south of Uganda but also from the north and west.

There are also people who have come from neighbouring countries, like Sudan and Rwanda.

Others who have come from more distant countries such as Somalia and India.

Why do you think people migrate?

Work on your own, in a group or with the whole class and your teacher.

Think of reasons why people might decide to migrate from one place to another.

Write the reasons in a table, under two headings:

Push Factors

Why people might want to leave one place.

Pull Factors

Why people might be attracted to a new place.

Description of Unit

This subtopic explores factors that led to movement of the Bantu people from their cradle land. Their movements, settlement and effects on the people of East Africa are also discussed.

Number of Lessons. Minimum - 4 periods. Maximum - 6 periods of 40 minutes each

Objectives

Students should be able to;

Explain who the Bantu people are
Explain the categories of the Bantu
Identify the area they came from
Explain the reasons why they migrated
Describe the course of their movement and settlement
Explain the effects of the Bantu migration on the people of East Africa

Main Content

The teacher should have advance knowledge on the following

Who the Bantu people are
Area where they came from
Causes of their movement
Their movement and settlement into East Africa
Effects of movement and settlement of the Bantu people

BANTU MIGRATION

Who were the Bantu?

The term Bantu refers to group of people who speak the same or similar language with common word “NTU” which means a person. The Bantu-speaking groups include the Baganda, Banyoro, Batoro in Uganda, Kikuyu, Akamba, Meru, Embu, Taita, Giryama, Digo in Kenya and Pokomo, Chagga, Yao, Segeju, Zaramo in Tanzania, as well as many other smaller groups.

Origins

There are two versions explaining the migration of the Bantu. The first version asserts that the Bantu came from West Africa around the Cameroon Highlands and Baunchi plateau of Nigeria; therefore, this points to the Niger basin as the possible cradle land of the Bantu. The second version posits that the Bantu came from the Katanga region in Southeastern Congo. Gradually they spread eastward north of the forest and southward to the forest’s edge near the lower Congo or Zaire and lower Kasai. The occupation of the north western (Cameroon- Gabon) was fairly slow due to difference in languages. Else where especially in eastern and southern Africa beginning at the edge of the forest, the spread must have been fast due to the relationship in languages.

Description of their movements and settlement

The Bantu is believed to have moved in four groups. These groups were; Interlacustrine Bantu, Central Bantu, Highland Bantu and Southern Tanzania Bantu.

i) Interlacustrine Bantu or Western Bantu

This group was also referred to as the lake region Bantu. They entered East Africa between L. Edward and Albert and settled in the areas North and West of L. Victoria between 1000 – 1300 AD. They were basically agriculturists. Others moved west to Kenya and Eastern Uganda.

ii) Central Bantu

These moved into East Africa between L. Edward and L. Tanganyika and first settled in Central Tanzania between 1000 –1300 AD for example, the Sukuma and Nyamwezi. Others later crossed and settled in Tanzania Plateau and Taita Hills around 1300 AD. Others moved north.

iii) Highland Bantu

These settled in the Kenya Highlands around 1600 –1800 AD. These include the Kamba, Kikuyu, Embu, Chuka. They probably moved north from the Taita hills. Some writers have suggested that about 1300 the Chuka came up from the Tana river and were the first to arrive in the Mt. Kenya area. The Embu followed them, about 1425. The last group, the Kikuyu seem to have arrived in the Muranga by the middle of the 16^th Century and in Kiambu by the end of the 17^th Century. The migration of the Emba further was halted by the Masaai. The migrations of the Meru and related groups probably began at the Coast.

iv) Southern Tanzania Bantu

This group entered through L. Malawi and L. Tanganyika. They are also believed to Have come from East Africa around 1000 – 1300. This group includes the Bena, Yao, Hehe.

According to the tradition between about 1591 and 1698, the Swahili sections of Kilidini, Changamwe and Tangana moved to Mombasa and formed Kalindini town. Where they had earlier migrated from Shungwaya because of attacks by the Galla and Somali. The Segeju and various sections of the Milikenda and other Swahili groups to join the Kilindini group and related peoples on the mainland behind Mombasa later joined them.

The Pokomo and Segeju traditions also suggest the theory of dispersal from Shunguwaya. The Pokomo say that they descended from Shunguwaya Bantu immigrants. However, due to contacts with other groups, they became a mixed community with Galla, Swahili, Segeju and Somali blood. The Segeju believed that in the second half of the 7^th Century the Galla attacked their ancestors. One group fled to the Lamu islands and nearby areas where they intermarried with the local Swahili to form the present Bajun or Tikuu. A second group fled to the lower Tana and ancestors of present- day Buu section of the Segeju left the lower Tana and moved to the present homes.

Causes/reasons for the Bantu migration

The reasons for the migration of the Bantu are not known but they most likely included the following;

Drought and famine: they moved due to the fear of famine, which broke out due to overcrowding and drought. The climate in their cradle land had become unreliable/unpredictable.

Population increase which resulted into over crowding: they migrated due to population pressure, e.g. they became overpopulated in their cradle land. This led to the scarcity of grazing and agriculture land, and so they had to move to look for more land, both for agriculture and for their cattle.

The constant attacks (external pressure) from stronger tribes in West Africa and the Nile valley. They moved due to external pressure, especially due to the migration of the Arabs into West Africa. The Arabs were believed to be more hostile, and so Africans were forced to move southwards.

Internal conflicts from the Bantu tribes: they migrated due to internal misunderstandings/conflicts between the different clans. These conflicts concerned the ownership of agriculture area, the shortage of grazing lands and watering areas.

Epidemics and diseases/natural calamities: the Bantu moved due to natural disasters, e.g. earthquakes, over flooding of rivers like river Niger, sickness, diseases such as Nagana caused by Tsetse flies, sleeping sickness e.t.c.

Search for fertile land: since they were predominantly farmers, the Bantu migrated in order to find more land which could be more fertile than the cradle land, which could no longer support them. E.g. they had changed from hunting and gathering fruits, to farming and had even discovered new crops such as yams, banana, and e.t.c

Love for adventure: they moved due to their desire for adventure, i.e. they wanted to find out what was happening in other areas.

Group influence:

Need for water and pasture for their animals.

The Bantu migrated in order to export their iron-working culture. They had discovered the knowledge of iron working and had invented iron tools. These iron tools had transformed the agricultural sector by making the clearing of land fro cultivation faster and more efficient.

Effects of the Bantu migration.

The results of the Bantu migration were both positive and negative.

Positive results.

Introduction of iron working: they introduced iron-working and the use of iron tools in the interior of East Africa were at first using stone tolls but when iron-smelting was started, there was an increase in food production.

Introduction of new crops e.g. yams, bananas: the Bantu introduced and increased the knowledge of food and extensive crop cultivation. Earlier on, the inhabitants of East Africa were food gatherers, but with iron smelting and its results, food production seriously started.

Introduction of new language.

The absorbed other tribes e.g. the gathers: they led to a widespread Bantu languages of “NTU” prefix in East Africa.

They displaced some people. The Ngoni displaced the Yao.

They introduced centralized administration: they introduced a centralized system of government whereby the king acted as the overall ruler, under whom were the other chiefs, down to the lay person.

Introduced a system of building permanent homes. They opened new land to settlement in families, clans and villages.

The knowledge of iron smelting which the Bantu introduced led to the making of hoes and pangas for tilling and clearing land, the bows, arrows and spears for defense and protection.

They introduced subsistence agriculture, whereby they grew enough food for home consumption, and the rest could be kept in case of shortages, or be exchanged in barter trade.

They led to a rise of large states and bigger tribes in East Africa, e.g. the Baganda, Kikuyu, Nyamwezi. e.t.c

Negative effects.

The Bantu migration led to depopulation. This was caused by the frequent attacks made by the Bantu against the people East Africa for land, through wars. Many people died through these wars, e.g. the Zimba would attack people at the coast, kill them, and eat their fresh (i.e. cannibalism).

There was loss of culture due to cultural absorption. This was brought about due to Bantu intermarrying with the non- Bantu peoples, whom they came across.
There was transformation of languages into new ones. This led to the dying down of some of the Bantu languages, while others remained.

READING FOR STUDENTS

The movement and settlement of Ntuha and his family.

Once upon a time, there was a man called Ntuha who lived in the Niger Congo basin. He had four wives and many children due to a number of reasons, conflicts developed among his children. There was shortage of land for cultivation and pasture for the animals due to increase in the number of people and animals, but children loved adventure and so they decided to leave their cradle land move to other places

Most children moved Eastwards, one of them was Mukasa who entered E. Africa in the region between L. Albert and lake Edward. Some members of his family settled around L.George while others continued and settled around areas North

West of lake Victoria.

Another group moved and settled in Tanzania Plateau and Taita Hills.

Another group discontented moved northwards and settled around Mt

Kilimanjaro. There was another group that entered East Africa between

L.Malawi and Tanganyika.

Another group led by Nyerere entered E. Africa between L. Kivu and Tanganyika and settled in central Tanzania. Other groups crossed to Eastern Uganda and Western Kenya. These settled around Mt. Elgon area

From Tanzania, other members moved northwards, towards Mt. Kilimanjaro and entered Kenya between Mt. Kilimanjaro and coast most of these people settled around the Kenya highlands, the group was led by Ngugi.

Sample questions

1. (a) who are the Bantu?

(b) Why did they move from their cradle land?

2 (a) Describe the movement and settlement of Bantu people in E. Africa.

(b) What were the effects of their movement and settlement on the people of

East Africa.

SCHEME OF WORK

NAME OF TEACHER: …

TERM………. YEAR ………

SUBJECT: HISTORY PAPER 1 CLASS S.1

PERIOD: 4

REFERENCES: Odhiambo ; Were and Wilson

Duration	Topic	Expected learning outcome (objectives)	Content	Methodology	Teaching resources	Remarks
2 periods (80 min)	Bantu Migration	- Explain who the Bantu are - Cause of the migration	- Who the Bantu are - Cause of the migration	- Play - Question and answer - Discovery -Discussion	- Video - Textbooks; - Maps - Chalkboard
2 periods (80 min)	Bantu Migration	- Describe the movement of the Bantu. - Explain the effects of the Bantu migration - Settlement	- Movement of the Bantu people. - Effects - Settlement	- Question and answer - Discovery - Discussion - Story reading	- do--

LESSON PLAN

DATE:……..

SUBJECT: HISTORY PAPER 1

CLASS: S.1 NUMBER OF STUDENTS ---

TOPIC: Bantu Migrations

SUB TOPIC: Course Of The Bantu Migration

METHODS: Questions and Answers, Discovery

TEACHING AIDS: Stories on movement and settlement, a map

REFERENCE: Were and Wilson (19) East Africa through a thousand years; Odhiambo (19)

Time	Expected learning outcome (objectives)	Teachers activity	Students’ activity	Lesson Evaluation
5 mins	Students should be able to; - Remember the reasons for migration so as to link it to the days’ lesson	- Greets students - Review of reasons for their migration by asking questions	- Responds to teachers greetings - Learners respond by giving reasons
10 mins 20 mins	Students should be able to; - Describe the course of the movement to Uganda	- Divides class into groups and distributes the story about movement and settlement. - Display the map of East Africa and ask students to show using arrows movements of Mukasa and family, - Teacher uses the story to explain the movement of the Bantu who settled in Uganda(teacher should use different colour from the that of student)	-Forms 3 groups and reads they story - a member of the group 1 draws the route followed by Mukasa and family. - Students listen
20 mins	Students should be able to; - Describe the course of the movement to Tanzania	Teacher ask students to show using arrows movements of Nyerere and family, - Teacher uses the story to explain the movement of the Bantu who settled in Tanzania	- a member of the group 2 draws the route followed by Nyerere and family. - Students listen
15min	Students should be able to; - Describe the course of the movement to Kenya	Ask students to show using arrows movements of Ngugi and family, - Uses the story to explain the movement of the Bantu who settled in Kenya	- a member of the group 3 draws the route followed by Ngugi and family. - -Students listen
10 mins	Students should be able to; - To find out the extent to which learners have understood	- Asks questions on days lesson - Summarizes linking issues about the course of the Bantu migration	- Attempt to answer the questions - Listen

Topic: THE BANTU MIGRATION

Activity one

Group Discussion

Organise the learners in groups of 5-8 to carry out the following activities. Each group should have a chairperson and a secretary.

Learners are encouraged to use their knowledge of the effects of the Bantu Migration:

From your knowledge of the effects of the Bantu Migration:

List three income generating activities you can engage in as a learner during the holiday
Basing on the available resources to you, choose at least one income generating activity in (i) above you can engage in.
Outline the steps you should take to ensure smooth take off of your project.
Of what benefit will this business be to the society?
What are the likely challenges you will face in this business?
Outline the ways you plan to address these obstacles/problems.

Activity two

Visit any project or business in your area that reflects a relationship to the effects of the Bantu Migration.
Ask the managers the brief history of the project or business.
Find out about the source of the capital for the business or project.
Outline the benefits this project (2 i. above) has to your community.
Find out the challenges they are facing.
Suggest possible solutions to the above challenges

MGVSS History (Teachers)

Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Bantu Migration