Alistair Hood interviewing Charles Chingwalu, on Slavery in East Africa
Recorded: 30/03/2008 length 58 minutes 13 seconds Attendees: J Alistair Hood and Charles Chingwalu (date of birth 12.6.64)Venue: interviewee’s home in DunfermlineProject Title: “Carry Me Home” – SlaveryCD (GP2) Interview with Charles ChingwaluTopics covered include Background to Charles Chingwalu; Slavery in Malawi; tribal chiefs involvement in slave trade; tribes in Africa; dispersion of tribes as a result of seizing of Africans into slavery; missionaries in Africa.Charles Chingwalu came to Britain from Malawi in East Africa in 1990 to undertake his undergraduate university studies and returned to Africa following his studies. In 2001 he came back to study for his Masters in Development Studies. Scottish wife from Isle of Arran.Slavery in Malawi in particular was not great because of the landlocked location and therefore transporting slaves was difficult where traders would have had to travel 300 miles to ship the slaves back to Britain. The slave trade came about through invasion and although slaves in East Africa were taken by force, it was also common for tribal chiefs to participate and sell their own people into slavery. African has many different tribes which is very complex. Tribes have different origins, cultures, beliefs and whilst some have the same language and religion, other aspects of their tribe could be very different. There are hundreds of languages in Africa and the interviewee made a comparison saying that asking someone from Africa if they speak African is like saying to someone from Europe that they must speak European. The slave trade had a significant effect on African history because whole villages were taken by force into slavery and once they were shipped to their destination, they were dispersed and their heritage lost.There were many missionaries who came to East Africa including Scottish Christian missionaries. They were instrumental in pushing to abolish slavery. They came to East Africa to promote their religion whilst at the same time opposed slavery because they believed it to be wrong. [the compact disk includes Track 2 of Prof Geoff. Palmer].
