A social, economic and environmental history of African small grain in Zimbabwe from the pre-colonial past and present

Date
2021-12
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis examines the social, economic, and environmental history of African small grains – sorghum, millet and rapoko – in what is today Zimbabwe. It traces their development over shifting social, economic, political, and ecological periods from the pre-colonial era (from c.1500) to around 2010, after the formation of the Government of National Unity. Joining an already robust historiography, this study contributes by focusing on crops previously ignored, thus by paying special attention to the development of the ‘underbelly’ of the country’s agrarian economy. Relying on a wide selection of primary sources from the National Archives of Zimbabwe and oral testimonies by African farmers and families, government personnel and academics, this study shows how from the precolonial era to the present, small grains have been integral to everyday African life, significant in socio-economic, environmental, and political processes in several African societies over time. It shows how different communities varyingly appreciated, produced and consumed small grains. Notably, this study demonstrates how the history of small grains is not just a story of crop production and consumption but is a complex social and political history of how Africans have survived the ‘slow violence’ of climatic and economic change, as well as precipitous disasters such as droughts and famines. Moreover, it contends that small grains became politicised. Located within discourses of state- making, hegemony and agency, this thesis conceptualizes ‘political grain’ to illustrate how – while small grains were used as a tool to control the economic and political narratives in the country by various elites – it was equally an expression of ‘weapons of the weak’. In this latter capacity, it was deployed by individuals to challenge some patriarchal and religious gatekeepers’ attempts to keep their grip on social control. The thesis analyses the changes and continuities in small grain culinary patterns, observing how while most Africans were introduced to new food and ways of eating, for others, of their own volition, they adopted and adapted culinary ideas, while still using small grains. This thesis offers an analysis of the complex relationship between men and women, Africans and whites, peasants and elites, ordinary citizens and the state, society and the environment. Thus, it joins the growing, yet fragmented, agrarian historiography of African food histories and contributes towards a wider understanding of previously ignored African crops in Zimbabwe’s history.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die tesis ondersoek die sosiale, ekonomiese en omgewingsgeskiedenis van die Afrika kleingraangewasse – sorghum, giers (millet) en rapoko – in die streek wat vandag as Zimbabwe bekend staan. Dit karteer hul ontwikkeling oor veranderende sosiale, ekonomiese, politieke en ekologiese periodes vanaf die pre-koloniale era (van c.1500) tot aan die einde van die Regering van Nasionale Eenheid in 2013. Die studie sluit aan by `n aktiewe bestaande historiografie, maar lewer `n nuwe bydrae deur te fokus op vroeër geïgnoreerde gewasse met `n spesiale fokus op die kwesbare deel van die land se agrariese/landbou ekonomie. Die tesis maak gebruik van `n wye seleksie van primêre bronne van die Nasionale Argief van Zimbabwe asook mondelinge getuienis van swart boere en families, regeringsamptenare en akademici. Met dit as basis toon die studie aan hoe kleingrane van die pre-koloniale era tot vandag `n integrale deel van swart Afrikane se daaglikse betaan was en `n belangrike rol in sosio-ekonomiese, omgewings en politieke prosesse in verskeie gemeenskappe oor tyd gespeel het. Die tesis toon aan hoe verskillende gemeenskappe op `n verskeidenheid maniere kleingrane waardeer, geproduseer en verbruik het. Die geskiedenis van kleingrane was nie net `n verhaal van gewasproduksie en verbruik nie. Dit was `n komplekse sosiale en politieke geskiedenis van hoe swart Afrikane die impak (“slow violence”) van klimaats- en ekonomiese verandering sowel as rampe soos droogtes en hongersnood oorleef het. Die tesis kom tot die gevolgtrekkig dat kleingrane verpolitiseer is. Die tesis is geposisioneer binne die diskoerse van staatsbou, hegemonie en agentskap en doen die konsep van “politieke graan” aan die hand. Dit illustreer dat terwyl politieke elite groepe graan gebruik het om ekonomiese en politieke narratiewe in die land te dikteer dit terselfdertyd ook `n uitdrukking van “wapens van die weerloses” (“weapons of the weak”) was. In dié hoedanigheid is dit deur individue gebruik om sommige patriargale en godsdienstige hekwagters wat hul greep op sosiale beheer wou behou, uit te daag. Die tesis analiseer die veranderinge en kontinuiteite in kleingraan eetpatrone. Hoewel meeste swart Afrikane aan nuwe voedselsoorte en eetpatrone blootgestel is, het ander uit vrye wil eetpatrone aanvaar en aangepas terwyl hul steeds kleingrane gebruik het. Die tesis bied `n analise van die komplekse verhouding tussen mans en vroue, swart Afrikane en witmense, kleinboere en elites, gewone burgers en die staat, die samelewing en omgewing. Dit sluit dus aan by die groeiende hoewel nog gefragmenteerde agrariese/landbou historiografie oor Afrika se voedselgeskiedenis en lewer `n bydrae tot `n breër begrip van voorheen verwaarloosde Afrika voedselsoorte in die geskiedenis van Zimbabwe.
Description
Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2021.
Keywords
Small grain culinary patterns, Agrarian historiography of African food histories, Nutrition -- Zimbabwe -- History, Food security -- Zimbabwe, Small grains -- Zimbabwe
Citation