Julius Nyerere, Comprehension of Slavery, and Nation Building: Some Notes on Popular Consciousness in Modern Tanzania
This article examines the image of Julius Nyerere, the first president of independent Tanzania, among present-day citizens. Spotting of both the presence and persistence of his image in popular consciousness became an unexpected result of unrelated field research on the historical memory of 19th...
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| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute for African Studies
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Ученые записки Института Африки Российской академии наук |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://africajournal.ru/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Bancshikova_Dzhulius-Nerere.pdf |
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| Summary: | This article examines the image of Julius Nyerere, the first president of independent
Tanzania, among present-day citizens. Spotting of both the presence and persistence of his image in
popular consciousness became an unexpected result of unrelated field research on the historical
memory of 19th century slave trade and its influence on interethnic relations in the country. The study
did not include any questions about Julius Nyerere, colonialism, or Tanzania's independence.
However, many respondents on their own will start talking about Nyerere's role in connection with the
abolition of the slave trade (sic), about his contribution to building a peaceful nation without ethnic
tensions, the spread of the Swahili language, and education. The variety of answers shows that almost
any positive shift in the development of Tanganyika and Tanzania can be attributed to him in popular
consciousness. This demonstrates the continuing importance of Nyerere's image and legacy for
ordinary Tanzanians. |
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| ISSN: | 2412-5717 3034-3496 |