From 17th century
Zambezi valley and interior Mozambique
The Chikunda were originally warrior slaves associated with the Zambezi prazos and the conquest states that emerged from the prazo system. Many later fled into the interior, where they formed a distinct ethnic group.
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The Story
The Chikunda originated as warrior slaves attached to the Zambezi prazos and to conquest states that developed from the prazo system. Their early history therefore reflects the militarization of political and economic power in the Zambezi valley, where armed retainers served estate holders and regional rulers.
Many Chikunda subsequently fled into the interior. These movements transformed a social category rooted in the prazo system into a distinct ethnic identity, showing how displacement, military service, and political fragmentation could contribute to the formation of new communities.
The Chikunda occupy an important place in the history of central Mozambique because their identity linked the institutions of the prazos with later inland settlement. Their history also reveals how people initially incorporated into systems of coercion could establish separate collective identities beyond those systems.
From 17th century
Zambezi valley and interior Mozambique
The Chikunda were originally warrior slaves associated with the Zambezi prazos and the conquest states that emerged from the prazo system. Many later fled into the interior, where they formed a distinct ethnic group.
Continue exploring
The Story
The Chikunda originated as warrior slaves attached to the Zambezi prazos and to conquest states that developed from the prazo system. Their early history therefore reflects the militarization of political and economic power in the Zambezi valley, where armed retainers served estate holders and regional rulers.
Many Chikunda subsequently fled into the interior. These movements transformed a social category rooted in the prazo system into a distinct ethnic identity, showing how displacement, military service, and political fragmentation could contribute to the formation of new communities.
The Chikunda occupy an important place in the history of central Mozambique because their identity linked the institutions of the prazos with later inland settlement. Their history also reveals how people initially incorporated into systems of coercion could establish separate collective identities beyond those systems.