Maji Maji Rebellion

Boahen felt that the actions of Germany were brutal and unnecessary. Germany had turned the land that they colonized into slave camps. Harsh rules were imposed and enforced with violence. Africans that worked the fields were forced to work all day. If a worker stopped working or even sttod up they would be whipped. On some occasions, the oppressed African would refuse to work, and could potentially be put to death for doing so. Boahen's accounts of Germany during colonization would label the Germans as a violent people who cared nothing about fairness or equality. If one were to just rely on Boahen for a description of Germany during colonization it would be thought that every description made would be true. Inconsistencies with Boahen's account are found in an interview given in Kalenga to man by the name of Nyikondo Mwakisega. This man's village was defeated by the Germans and the people were forced to work for the Germans in combating the Maji Maji rebellion. Based on Boahen's accounts one would believe that the Germans would have left no survivors or at least forced them to do hard labor with the threat of beating if left undone. Mwakisega was given the opportunity to speak his mind about the Germans with no restrictions. Keep in mind that this is the account of a member of a defeated village who was under the control of Germany. He says that he was then too young to fight on the battlefield so the Germans made him carry loads for the Germans, whether it be food or weaponry. Mwakisega was fed well and never told of being beaten or punished (Mwakisega). When considering the circumstances which he was one one would not believe he was treated so well based on the accounts of Boahen. In the accounts of Boahen the actions of the Germans are labeled as cruel while he refuses to label the pre-colonialization actions of some of the African people as the same. Prior to the scaramble, the people whom were defeated by the Germans, relied heavily upon defeating other competing peoples for income.