Thesis (PhD)-- Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis explores the relationship between African traditional livestock regimes and state
veterinary services in colonial Zimbabwe from the perspective of socio-environmental history. It
offers a new direction both methodologically and empirically as few academic studies have used
state veterinary services archives extensively as a lens to understanding the parameters of the
interaction of veterinarians and African livestock owners during the colonial period. Though
located in socio-environmental history, this study has applicability to the histories of medicine,
conservation and land policy as it connects with the broader debate regarding the experiences of
local healing practices under colonial administrations. It examines the complex, fluid and
interactive interdependence of people, livestock and disease, and discusses how veterinary
medicine, conservation policies, and introduced epizootics impacted on African traditional
livestock regimes. It demonstrates how African livestock owners reacted to veterinary
challenges, and how they understood veterinary and environmental arguments mobilized by the
colonial state to justify segregation. It shows that state veterinary services were not limited to
pharmacological drugs and the administration of inoculants but also extended to breeding and
other livestock improvement activities such as pasture management. It argues that the provision
of state veterinary services was largely influenced by the shifting, contradictory relationship
involving the state, native commissioners and white settlers. Given the fractured nature of
colonial administration in Southern Rhodesia, this thesis also discusses conflicts between
colonial experts (veterinary and animal scientists) and African livestock owners over what type
of cattle to rear, how they were to be pastured, and also how epizootics and enzootics could be
eradicated or controlled.
Key Words: conservation; African livestock regimes; veterinary medicine, local healing
practices; dipping; therapeutics; acaricides; centralisation; socio-environmental history;
liberation war; Zimbabwe; Southern Rhodesia; Rhodesia. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: This thesis explores the relationship between African traditional livestock regimes and state
veterinary services in colonial Zimbabwe from the perspective of socio-environmental history. It
offers a new direction both methodologically and empirically as few academic studies have used
state veterinary services archives extensively as a lens to understanding the parameters of the
interaction of veterinarians and African livestock owners during the colonial period. Though
located in socio-environmental history, this study has applicability to the histories of medicine,
conservation and land policy as it connects with the broader debate regarding the experiences of
local healing practices under colonial administrations. It examines the complex, fluid and
interactive interdependence of people, livestock and disease, and discusses how veterinary
medicine, conservation policies, and introduced epizootics impacted on African traditional
livestock regimes. It demonstrates how African livestock owners reacted to veterinary
challenges, and how they understood veterinary and environmental arguments mobilized by the
colonial state to justify segregation. It shows that state veterinary services were not limited to
pharmacological drugs and the administration of inoculants but also extended to breeding and
other livestock improvement activities such as pasture management. It argues that the provision
of state veterinary services was largely influenced by the shifting, contradictory relationship
involving the state, native commissioners and white settlers. Given the fractured nature of
colonial administration in Southern Rhodesia, this thesis also discusses conflicts between
colonial experts (veterinary and animal scientists) and African livestock owners over what type
of cattle to rear, how they were to be pastured, and also how epizootics and enzootics could be
eradicated or controlled.
Key Words: conservation; African livestock regimes; veterinary medicine, local healing
practices; dipping; therapeutics; acaricides; centralisation; socio-environmental history;
liberation war; Zimbabwe; Southern Rhodesia; Rhodesia.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/86424 |
| Date | 04 1900 |
| Creators | Mwatwara, Wesley |
| Contributors | Swart, Sandra S., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of History. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 280 p. : ill. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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