“Women’s Stronghold”: Cassava and the Transformation of the Status of Women in Pre-Colonial Zambia

Despite several studies on women’s role in cassava production, the nexus between cassava and the transformation of women’s status has seldom attracted the attention of historians. Contrary to scholarship that argues cassava has only increased the burden for women, this article argues that the crop was a source of power for women, since it afforded them opportunities that transformed their socio-economic status. It demonstrates that women’s increased labour in processing cassava granted them additional power in controlling the crop, selling it and turning profits into ornamentations and items of value that they would not lose in the event of divorce or widowhood. Drawing on travelogues, archival material and oral history, the article contributes to the historiography of cassava and women in pre-colonial Zambia as it explores the impact of the crop on gender dynamics. It demonstrates that cassava granted women the power to gain an income and maintain household food security.