Journal of African Studies
Online ISSN : 1884-5533
Print ISSN : 0065-4140
ISSN-L : 0065-4140
Volume 2003, Issue 63
Displaying 1-10 of 10 articles from this issue
  • A study on the History of Silte People
    Makoto NISHI
    2003 Volume 2003 Issue 63 Pages 1-15
    Published: December 20, 2003
    Released on J-STAGE: April 30, 2010
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Since the end of 19th century, it was politically imperative for Ethiopia to build a modern state with a unified nation. However, after three decades of civil war, Ethiopia was transformed into a “federation of ethnic groups” in an attempt to establish a democratic political framework.
    Ethnicity in Africa is often understood as something essentially related to the autonomy of peoples and their cultures. Ironically, the new order in Ethiopia gave rise to “politicized ethnicity” as all the ethnic groups (or the “nations, nationalities and peoples” according to the official term) must be recognized by and work with the ruling party.
    This paper tries to explain the ambiguous relationship between the state system and ethnicity in contemporary Ethiopia through a study of the history of Silte people. Traditionally, the Silte are a Muslim people sharing perceived genealogical ties. They are the descendants of a Muslim leader who participated in the historic military expedition against Christian Abyssinia in the 16th century. However, after the political and economic incorporation of the Silte into the modern Ethiopian state in the late 19th century, they have emerged as part of the Gurage people, who were recognized as the most industrious “ethnic group” among the Ethiopian nationals. Finally, under the federal state system, the ruling party recognized the Silte as a “nationality” totally distinct from the Gurage.
    The Gurage were often seen as an ethnic group with strong solidarity, but their emergence was closely related to the state ideology of the 20th century Ethiopia. In other words, the Gurage were “created” as the bearer of the national economy of modern Ethiopia. On the other hand, the formation of contemporary Silte identity was not totally dictated by the state authority. Rather, it was a sort of hegemonic process in which the state ideology interplays with people's activities, resulting in the formation of a new “nationality”.
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  • Kanenori SUWA, Mitsuo HOSHINO, Masakazu OOSAKI
    2003 Volume 2003 Issue 63 Pages 17-26
    Published: December 20, 2003
    Released on J-STAGE: April 30, 2010
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    The stability of minerals in igneous rocks when subject to weathering is the reverse of the crystallization order following Bowen's reaction series. The last-formed minerals (e.g., quartz, muscovite, and potash feldspar) in igneous rocks are more stable at ordinary temperatures than are the minerals (e.g., olivine, pyroxene, and calcic plagioclase) formed at the early stage of crystallization. Quartz is very resistant to chemical weathering under surface temperature conditions. On the contrary, olivine and calcic plagioclase are readily decomposed by weathering.
    The Taklimakan desert sand is composed of various kinds of mineral grains, showing that it is immature. On the contrary, the Libyan desert sand is composed mainly of quartz grains signifying that the sand is mature.
    In this paper, desert sands from the Kalahari and Namib Deserts were examined, and the character was discussed together with the description of grain size, mineral variety, rock grain and roundness.
    Most desert sands from the Kalahari Desert are composed of quartz grains (94.7%-99.9%), with a small amount of feldspar grains (0%-0.5%), mafic mineral grains (0%-4.0%), and rock grains (0.3%-2.0%), indicating the sand is mature.
    One of the desert sands from the Kalahari Desert is mainly composed of quartz grains (72.7%) and rock grains (23.7%), with some feldspar grains (1.3%) and mafic mineral grains (2.3%), indicating immaturity. Another type of desert sand is of pure quartz sand, but the quartz grains are ill-rounded in roundness class, indicating the sand is also immature.
    Two types of desert sands from the Namib Desert are examined. The main composition of one type is quartz grains (98.5%), with some feldspar grains (1.0%), mafic mineral grains (0%), and rock grains (0.5%), indicating maturity. The other type is composed of quartz grains (58.9%), feldspar grains (16.5%), mafic mineral grains (13.1%) and rock grains (11.5%), indicating immaturity.
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  • An Examination of “The Village Land Act, 1999”
    Hiromi AMEMIYA
    2003 Volume 2003 Issue 63 Pages 27-36
    Published: December 20, 2003
    Released on J-STAGE: April 30, 2010
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Based on the review of the changes of land policy and the land tenure system in Tanzania, the newly established “Village Land Act” is examined in order to clarify the concept of “customary right of occupancy” and to appraise the significance for enacting the “Village Land Act” in 1999.
    “Customary right of occupancy” is defined as the right of “use, earnings and disposal” in which there is a limit based on the consideration of benefit for an extended family and a community. Moreover it is an important change that defined “communal village land” for the land reserved for the communal use, which was established as a provision in “Village Land Act”.
    It could be said that the system of right to land which has been based on custom becomes an enacted law through the introduction of the concept of “village land and communal village land” which is provided in the newly established “Village Land Act”.
    Basically “Village Land Act” restricts assignment of land to foreigners. However there is a kind of loophole for the possibility of land assignment to foreigners through the application of “The Tanzanian Investment Promotion Act, 1997”. We can say that the crucial meaning of establishment of “Village Land Act” is adjusting the traditional custom to the trend of globalization. Then it can be said that the context of this adjustment is to find the means of survival in the present situation dominated by market economy.
    Recently we have seen some arguments that the formalization of informal communal ownership is much cheaper in cost terms than establishing individual property right and implementation of registration. Newly proposed suggestion is to reinforce the transition of communal ownership into new life. It seems that this is likely to be more suitable policy for African countries.
    Furthermore, this Tanzanian case can be taken as one example of legal confirmation of communal ownership. Therefore we can apply this case to many other developing countries where they have not yet introduced the concept of modern ownership.
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  • A Report an International Symposium
    Itaru Ohta
    2003 Volume 2003 Issue 63 Pages 37-41
    Published: December 20, 2003
    Released on J-STAGE: April 30, 2010
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
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  • [in Japanese]
    2003 Volume 2003 Issue 63 Pages 43-45
    Published: December 20, 2003
    Released on J-STAGE: April 30, 2010
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
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  • [in Japanese]
    2003 Volume 2003 Issue 63 Pages 45-47
    Published: December 20, 2003
    Released on J-STAGE: April 30, 2010
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Download PDF (587K)
  • [in Japanese]
    2003 Volume 2003 Issue 63 Pages 47-49
    Published: December 20, 2003
    Released on J-STAGE: April 30, 2010
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Download PDF (580K)
  • [in Japanese]
    2003 Volume 2003 Issue 63 Pages 49-51
    Published: December 20, 2003
    Released on J-STAGE: April 30, 2010
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Download PDF (561K)
  • [in Japanese]
    2003 Volume 2003 Issue 63 Pages 52-54
    Published: December 20, 2003
    Released on J-STAGE: April 30, 2010
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Download PDF (547K)
  • 2003 Volume 2003 Issue 63 Pages 54
    Published: December 20, 2003
    Released on J-STAGE: April 30, 2010
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Download PDF (153K)
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