Historical Context of the Transformation of the Nyamwezi Migrant Labourers: From Slave Labour to Wage Labour, 1890s–1960s

This research critically examines the evolution of labor among the Nyamwezi people spanning the period from the 1890s to the 1960s, with a primary focus on the transformation from slave labor to wage labor. Employing a qualitative research approach, the study utilized methods such as focus group discussions (FGD) and interviews, supplemented by documentary reviews and archival materials. The analytical framework drew upon Social Exclusion and Conflict Theory, culminating in an innovative perspective termed the "development of capitalism over labor shift-question." This framework posits that the progression of capitalism played a pivotal role in transitioning the Nyamwezi labor system from slave labour to wage labour. The findings of the study illuminate the Nyamwezi's adaptation to the colonial labor system, providing insights into the motives behind their involvement in migrant labor. Additionally, the research presents statistical data detailing Nyamwezi migration from Tabora to Zanzibar. The paper concludes by underscoring the integration of the Nyamwezi into capitalist relations, asserting that labor migration, particularly during the colonial era, was intricately linked to the capitalist transformation occurring in the Nyamwezi region. This transformation resulted from the introduction and consolidation of capitalist relations within the Nyamwezi area.