Azaghvana E-Book 2003 - Flipbook - Page 266
John Zakariya (2006) about changes in local resource management
We start with John's views on the keeping of livestock, and continue with his accounts on
changes in leasing out land and trees. The account includes his memories about leasing land
to pay a son's bridewealth, which included the leasing out of trees. We then present his
assessment of a new system of short-leasing of land in the adjacent plains. We present John
Zakariya's accounts more or less unedited, and keep them in the ethnographic present of 2006:
Livestock keeping past and present
In the past livestock-keeping was important in the mountains to produce fertile land. Cows were
given out to somebody who fed the cow to keep the manure. Nowadays up to three thousand Naira
per rainy season is paid to somebody who keeps the cow in his stable and feeds it. The reason is
that chemical fertiliser has replaced the manure. This is regardless of the scientific fact that
chemical fertiliser is washed out in the soils of the terraces much faster than manure.
People spend high amounts, for example, a family might spend five to 20 thousand Naira per
season on fertiliser. It still works out because of the value of a cow in terms of calving every two
years for about 10 to 12 years. Also, the meat value per cow, once she is slaughtered, is about ten
to 20 thousand Naira. This means that the value of the meat is nowadays the more important
economic factor than the value of the manure. At the centre of all of that is a developing market
economy. Cattle and land are combined resources of capital production which can run into conflict
with the varying interests of a mainly agricultural local community.
Cattle are given out to somebody to keep during the rainy season in his stable, against the payment
mentioned above. Cattle being kept in a stable for others who own it is practised both in the
mountains and in the plains. This is the only facility in the rainy season, and stable-keeping has a
long tradition in the area. People who hold cattle in the plains go during the stable season (rainy
season) up in the mountains to cut grasses and to make hay at the end of the rainy season.
Conflict might arise over the resources of grasses and hay. A man who watches over his cultivated
land to chase baboons and monkeys will also watch over his uncultivated land to secure his grass
and hay resources. This is particularly important in terms of distances to go to access grass and
hay resources. Uncultivated land might be nearer or farther away from somebody’s home when
the cattle are kept indoors during the rainy season.
If an owner of uncultivated land or fallow land finds somebody taking his grasses he can take him
to court. However, so far no uncultivated or fallow land has been leased or hired out for cutting
grasses to feed cattle in stables. Nevertheless, hay is produced only to be sold. People spend
thousands of Naira on hay. This trend is growing because of the increase in livestock keeping. In
the plains, people also cut grasses during the rainy season and are compensated by payments of
cash.
Also chickens can cause conflict during the rainy season. If somebody’s chicken eats somebody’s
freshly planted seeds, this can cause conflict between the owners of the chicken and the owners of
the land. The same applies to goats and sheep. Goats and sheep are also given out to be kept but
no payment in cash is received. Somebody might only receive a young goat or sheep as
compensation.
Leasing out of land to pay a son's bridewealth
There is no general word for leasing in Dghweɗe. Instead, the two expressions: 'selling it out'
(sukdu-skwa = sell-buy) and 'getting it back' (nay varmbe) are combined to circumscribe the
concept of leasing by saying: 'Sell out to get it back' (sukdu-skwa nay varmbe).
This however is not a new concept. For example, your son is getting married and you cannot pay
the bridewealth so you lease out some of your land. You receive a certain amount and you pay the
bridewealth. The leasing out of land can go over many generations. It depends on the urgency of
what one needs in terms of cash, cattle or goats or even sheep. The current bridewealth is about
one cow, two goats, and between 10 and 15 thousand Naira. In the past, it was purely domestic
animals, for example, two cows and a few goats as well as iron bars (ɗutsa). The word for
bridewealth is ləmana mdughe (ləmana means the wealth you pay and mdughe is the young
woman you marry).
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