Anthropological Study on the Subsistance Pastoralism and Local Commercial Network in Northern Area of East Africa

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This research project was carried out in the Garriland and its surrounding area which is situated in the border area between Echiopia. Somalia and Kenya. The livestock transactions and the activity of medium merchants are analized from the view-point of socio-history and ecology. and then the complex structure which is composed of subsistance pastoralism and transit commercialism will be clarified.1. the socio-historical background of the border area :In this area Borana culture which is characterized by Gada-system. Oromo-Boran language and cattle herding. Amharic culture characterized by Christianity. Amharic language and fortress post. and Somali culture characterized by Islamism. Somali language and camel herding are interconnected in an intricate way. Especially. Somaroid peoples( Rendille. Garri. Gabra. Gura. Sakuye. Garromaro. and Ajuran) have been influenced by these three cultures. and have been compelled to split into several ethnic groups or to reorganize them.2. the network … More of local commercialism :The network of local commercialism is composed of the trade out of the area. that within the area and the subsistance pastoralism. The northward trade which is connected with Addis Ababa. the southward trade connected with Nairobi and the eastward trade connected with Indian ocean are relayed on the border area. The trade out of the area is monopolized by the Somali and Garri merchants. They separate their families into important towns to make lodgements for commercial network. Also. they pursuit for the family business through matrimonial alliance between the trade. The individuality of their family groups and the commercial strategy are preferred to the traditional descent value. The Islamite identity and solidarity makes such strategy feasible.The rural merchants take the trade within the area upon themselves. They separate their families between rural town and mobile settlement so that they can both manage shop and rear livestock. They regard the two ways of life interconnected and compound them to make up the commercial pastoralism.3. the commercial pastoralism :The commercial pastoralism ( the Somali and Garri peoples ) is distinct from the subsistence pastoralism ( the Turkana. Samburu. Gabra and Rendille peoples ). The latter regard the herding way of life as the important element of their identity and live on the rangeland. They tend to sell stock in time of depression rather than boom. Under favourable conditions. they engage in target-sales. where the object is to acquire immediate cash sum for specific purpose. Their stock are shared property in order to promote their solidarity.The former share lslamite value and compound the herding way of life with commercialism. The Garri example commecial pastoralism. They make no more exhaustive pursuit for commercial profit than the specialized town merchants. They are not more bound by territoriality and descent system than the subsistance herders. However. such a way of life should be regarded as peculiar life-style rather than as the eclectic life-style. Less