Title: African slave traders | Slave traders | Traders, Merchants and Planters | The People Involved | Bristol and Transatlantic Slavery | PortCities Bristol
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Content: African slave traders | Slave traders | Traders, Merchants and Planters | The People Involved | Bristol and Transatlantic Slavery | PortCities Bristol
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African slave traders
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The enslaved Africans bought by the Europeans were sold by African slave traders. In West Africa there are many different cultures and societies. Social organisation is very varied. Some of these cultures have complex social systems and others are more loosely organised. 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.