Crop economies during early colonial encounters on the northeast coast of Tanzania. Continuity and change.

This study investigated the indigenous crop economies of the people inhabiting Mtang’ata Bay and Pangani Bay on the northeast coast of Tanzania from the 16th to the 19th centuries within the context of the early colonial encounters. It has been argued that the early colonial encounters posed enormous stress to the indigenous crop economies and dietary patterns on the northeast coast of Tanzania. This argument is largely based on historical accounts, and not on archaeological evidence. Therefore, this study investigated whether or not the indigenous economies were affected by the early colonial encounters, using archaeobotanical evidence . specifically, this study sought to (i) identify the crop species that were produced/ consumed in Mtang’ata Bay and Pangani Bay from the pre- colonial period to the early colonial period; (ii) examine whether the crop species continued or changed in the context of the early colonial encounters; iii) to assess the factors for such dynamics. Methodologically, archaeogical excavation for soil samples collection, a manual bucket floatation method and macro botanical laboratory analysis were undertaken to obtain archaeobotanical results. The results of this study show some continuity and change in the crops from the pre-colonial period to the early colonial period. The indigenous communities might have continued growing the traditional crops because of their important role in their diet and their ability to tolerate harsh climatic conditions like drought. Also continuous growing of the crops by them probably signifies their early resistance to the colonial crop economy. In contrast, the adoption of the new crops such as finger millet, maize and colve was perhaps for the purpose of creating more diversified crop economies by avoiding overdependence on any crop. On the basis of the archaeobotanical evidence obtained, this study concludes that there was both continuity and change in the crop economies in the context of the early colonial encounters in Mtang’ata Bay and Pangani Bay.