The changing of traditional methods in conservation of forests and agricultural land: the impact of foreign religious practices: a case study of Ugweno and Usangi Divisions
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Date
1999
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University of Dar es Salaam
Abstract
This study assesses the effects caused by the changing of traditional method of conservation of forests and agricultural lands, in Ugweno and Usangi. Before the coming of missionaries in Ugweno and Usangi, the indigenous people had their own methods of conserving forests and agricultural land. Conservation of forests and agricultural land were under different institutions such as clan, kinship, customary land tenure, indigenous religious beliefs, norms and education. All these institutions were geared towards environment management. The advent of missionaries and eventually colonial rule, in Ugweno and Usangi were the source of destructions of traditional institutions. Missionaries had established foreign religion centres as well as educational centres. These centres were used in establishing new faith to the indigenous population. The transmission of foreign education and religions had made the indigenous people abandon their traditional methods in conserving forests and agricultural land. Christian Missionaries taught the indigenous people not to believe in ancestors’ spirits living in the forests because it was a pagan believe system. Meanwhile muslims were taught to believe that bad spirits and other evils live in their forests. Both new faiths discouraged their followers in forest worshiping. The findings have shown that the acceptance of new faiths - Christianity and islam led to the destruction of forests and agricultural land. Moreover it also led to poor environment management. The main goal of the new faith was to abandon a man and his shrine worshiping. Achieving of this goal resulted into clearing of forests and shrines. The Traditional worshiping was substituted by foreign worshiping whereby churches and mosques took place of forests and shrines. Furthermore colonial rule and post colonial rule also adopted the methodology of the missionaries in forests and shrines conservation. In both periods emphasis was put in growing of exotic trees which rather destructed the environment than conserving it. Forest policies favoured large scale forests than local and primary forests. It also allowed random forest resources harvesting which eventually destructed both forests and land. The study on one hand concludes that the new and foreign faiths have contributed much to the destruction of forests and agricultural land while on the other hand the colonial legacy and socio-economic factors such as population growth, economic campaigns have also contributed to destruction forest reserves and preserved land for both economic activities and house construction. However, the study has recommended that the revival of forests and agricultural land management should start with religion and education institutions whereby the transmission of this knowledge could be easier. Secondly, a community based approach should be used. The indigenous people should participate in planning and implementation of the tree planting campaigns.
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Available in print form
Keywords
Deforestation, Ugweno and Usangi, Tanzania
Citation
Kissaka, H. S. (1999) The changing of traditional methods in conservation of forests and agricultural land: the impact of foreign religious practices: a case study of Ugweno and Usangi Divisions, Masters’ dissertation, University of Dar es Salaam. Available at (http://41.86.178.3/internetserver3.1.2/detail.aspx)