Gum Arabic: Sahelian production, Atlantic demand, Senegambian power (17th century)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5007/2175-7976.2024.e98475Keywords:
GumArabic, Senegambia, TradeAbstract
This article analyzes the production and trade of gum arabic in the Senegambia region, highlighting the role of local political powers in conducting commercial transactions with Atlantic agents and commercial agents from other regions of the African continent. The commodity, extracted from acacia trees, was a versatile commodity used in Europe and Africa for various purposes, from the textile industry to the production of food and medicines. Saharan agents brought the gum to the ports of the Senegal River, where it was traded with Europeans. Although the Senegambians powers were not directly involved in the production of the gum, they benefited from the trade in their territory by imposing fees and taxes on Atlantic and Saharan traders. The complex commercial dynamics between Atlantic and African agents go beyond the slave trade, and gum arabic stands out as an important commodity in Atlantic trade in West Africa during the Modern Era. With this analysis, the aim is to reveal the influence of local political powers in conducting Atlantic trade and highlight the economic importance of gum arabic in the region, as well as its relevance as a product of international trade.
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