Michelle R. Moyd published a book that conceives the violent colonial history of German East Africa from the perspective of the ‘Askari’, the African soldiers of the German colonial army. Her key thesis is expressed in the introduction and in variations throughout the chapters. It is convincingly argued that the Askari had their own agenda, using the recruitment promise of becoming ‘big men’ through the spoils of warfare by collecting cattle, valuables, and especially women and dependents. An important aspect was their role in stabilizing German rule not only during the large scale military campaigns of the 1890s, the Maji Maji War of 1905–7, and the numerous minor military expeditions, but also in the military/administrative stations throughout Tanzania, the ‘Bomas’. There, Askari functioned as feared tax collectors, as assistants in court cases, and in other capacities. The ‘Boma’ also offered space for becoming ‘big men’ through their extended households, where their wives acted as traders and market-women and where land could be accumulated around the Askari-villages. They could command labor through the control of Askari-boys and other dependents. The Boma and the surrounding villages was their field of action beyond the campaigns, establishing their central role in the colonial state.
Around this central theme Moyd discusses the recruitment of Askari from the beginning, when ex-soldiers of the Egyptian Army and members of the South African warriors from the Shagaan were recruited for the conquest phase of the 1890s, the latter retreating from their contracts rather soon. From within the German colony mainly the Nyamwesi were recruited, based on their experiences of protecting the caravans and having been part of the armies of the 1870s. The latter relationship informed their goal of becoming ‘big men’. The book also deals with the function of military training and socialization including the functions of parades and festivities as part of the display of colonial dominance. The chapter ‘Askari Way of War’ discusses the similarities between colonial and pre-colonial wars, not only in East Africa. It is connected with the phenomena of ‘Ruga-Ruga’, which explained specific brutalities.
Central to the book are the chapters about ‘station life’ and Askari as ‘Agents of everyday colonialism’. Moyd offers a very concrete image with many well-selected examples. She stresses that the Askari were also part of the African communities, participating in the ngoma dancing and communicating even with chained prisoners at work. Even then, their power as agents of the colonial state was visible through the uniform and their functions. An interesting aspect is that the German administration and the missionaries regarded the Askari as agents in spreading Islam around the Bomas, which was tolerated by the administration against complaints of the missionaries.
Finally the destruction of the Askari myths is undertaken. During the First World War all dreams of maintaining the status as ‘big men’ faded away, especially because the British victors offered no space in the ‘King's African Rifles’ although the numbers of deserters increased dramatically after 1916.
Michelle Moyd has an immense knowledge of the literature and sources. She communicated with almost all the specialists and therefore many results rest on this body of research, which informs all the chapters about the historical framework in a remarkable way. She produces a deep insight into the colonial world, especially in its early stages. For the First World War, she utilized the diaries of the German colonial army, which exist in English translation in the Imperial War Museum in three volumes and are often neglected in the research. They offer additional information through the numerous daily telegrams full of news about African resistance acts because of the forced acquisition of food and labor by the troops of Lettow Vorbeck.
Some critical questions can be asked. How stable is the concept of becoming a ‘big man’ within the colonial society? Did it last once wartime service was over? In the case of retired Askari around the Boma some examples of lasting status are given. It is also questionable if the accumulation of dependents, women, cattle, and goods really could be secured during long campaigns over months and even years. Of course the military columns of the Germans were expanded by the families and dependents of the Askari and the Germans could not avoid it. But did this last? The distinction between Askari porters and military people recruited by supportive Chiefs may be too sharp and is worth further enquiries. Askari regarded themselves as superior over the ‘primitive’ folk they attacked or taxed. It indicates the distance between them and normal citizens of the colony. This was connected with the colonial status, but also is connected with the violent past of the late pre-colonial period.
In sum, Michelle Moyd produced a remarkable and rich book that combines a good concept with an overview of a large body of literature and integrates its results with her own findings into a well told narrative full of original perspectives and knowledge.
