Colonial times Sandawe people
during mid-19th century, when germany began colonise sub-saharan africa, sandawe clans used prestige rainmakers lay claim chiefly status, never accepted such. others defied european rule , mass migrations of arriving colonists around them. germans told man named mtoro wielded authority. officially made headman or leader of established nyamwezi colony.
the sandawe hated mtoro , nyamwezi settlers threw them out in 1902, seizing cattle. lieutenant kohlerman called keep peace , within 3 days killed 800 sandawe men, reportedly without suffering casualty, while second expedition came , captured 1,100 cattle. district commander reported progress :
the rock-strewn land of usandawe...is inhabited still thoroughly warlike, predatory , unexplored mountain people members not recognise german rule, live far apart , tolerate no headmen or superiors, , have hereto rid in drastic fashion of experimentally installed station. have situation in hand.
encouraged, german colony withdrew military. sandawe attacked soldiers left, announcing willingness confront new expedition, , began harassing nyamwezi. in end, sandawe pacified , , 22 headmen appointed chiefs, traditional rainmaking clans. 1 of headmen said, if 1 defies order, appeal european sergeant linke. 1 punishes fetters , whip....therefore, people see live in peace.
with end of colonialism, however, institution of chiefdom crumbled , disappeared. in telling stories, sandawe identify small animals use cunning , intelligence outwit dangerous , more powerful enemies. tom von prince understood in book gegen araber und wahehe, deathly fear must have existed drive these people thousands of kilometers homes south of equator, middle of countless strange tribes find peace, can guessed at.
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