Title: African slave traders | Slave traders | Traders, Merchants and Planters | The People Involved | Bristol and Transatlantic Slavery | PortCities Bristol
Headings: African slave traders
Explore this site
Bristol and Transatlantic Slavery
Glass from China
African slave traders
Search the    slavery collection
Browse the slavery collection
by historical period
by area of interest
by port people
by collection type
Resources

Content: The West Africans who most prospered in the transatlantic slave trade were those from the most warlike and tightly organised societies with strong rulers who preyed on their neighbours. These societies would be more likely to wage war on their neighbouring communities, enslave prisoners of war and trade them to the Europeans. The rulers of these societies usually appointed caboceers (traders) to deal with European slave traders. Many, such as the caboceer from the Fante people, John Currantee, or the leader from the Efik people Ephraim Robin John (known to the European traders as King George) were well-known as canny and ruthless dealers. They were able to communicate in a number of European and African languages. The African slave traders were skilled in using to their advantage the rivalries between the French, the English and the Dutch to get the best prices for their slaves. Often they demanded (and received) ‘gifts’ or ‘custom fees’, known in some quarters as ‘dashee’, from the Europeans. Nicholas Pocock, a sea captain who became an artist, drew paintings of several ships. Some include small pictures of slave trading activity on the coast of Africa. Pictured here is a small detail from a painting called The Southwell Frigate.