Dialogue of the Dumb – Silent Trade in Africa
The Practice of Dumber Barter in West Africa a Myth or Reality?
Sep 22, 2009
The presence of valuable trading commodities like gold, diamond, ivory and salt has given Africa a pride of place in man’s economic history especially in the area of trade. Even at a time when language constituted a huge barrier to trade, Africans exchanged goods in a form of barter that required neither money nor language. This form of trade has been variously called dumb barter, silent trade or depot trade.
The History of Dumb Barter in West Africa
According to historical records, dumb barter dates back to about 2500 years. Accounts of this form of trade are found in the writings of Greek historian Herodotus, the father of history. Herodotus tells of Carthaginians engaged in dumb barter with tribes from beyond the pillars of Hercules. According to these same accounts, the practice was also very common in West Africa.
Historian John Donnelly Fage in his work A History of West Africa, describes the southward movement of Arab traders across the Sahara towards the kingdoms of western Sudan. Attracted by the vast quantities of gold especially in Ghana (later named Gold Coast), these traders traveled along well established caravan routes in search of gold. This brought them to the land which the Arabs called Bilal al-Sudan, “the land of the black man.”
How Goods were Exchanged in the Silent Trade process
A vivid description of the exchange process in Silent trade is given by Arab historian al-Mas’udi.
“When the merchants reach the frontier they place their wares and cloths on it and depart and so the Negroes come, bearing gold which they leave beside the merchandise and then themselves depart. The owners of the merchandise then return and if they are satisfied with what they have found, they take it. If not, they go away again and the Negroes return and add to the price until the bargain is concluded.”
Wiley Forbes Guide to markets throws more light on the practice of Silent trade. This source talks about the selection of an agreeable venue by both parties and frequent calls at regular intervals as part of this “dumb dialogue.” If the first party was satisfied, it removed the second party’s wares. If not, it left the second party’s goods until satisfactory additions were made.
Did Dumb Barter Really Exist?
Despite the many historical sources justifying the existence of dumb barter the topic has become an issue of heated debated among historians. Some completely deny that this trade ever existed. Their premise is based on a large number of unanswered questions about silent trade.
- How did the parties choose their bargaining site if there was no medium of communication and how were trade statistics recorded?
- To what extent was it “dumb barter” if signs, calls, sign language, gongs and other forms of communication were used?
- Considering that language and communication are central in every form of exchange why did one not develop from such a profitable trade?
- How were disputes resolved in a form of trade that involved “deaf and “dumb” people?
Sources:
Fage, J.D. A History of West Africa, 1969.
Wiley Forbes Guide to Markets. From Dumb Barter to Intelligent Markets: A genealogy of Markets.
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