Paper short abstract:

This paper discusses the position of women who were dependent of "Arab(ised)" traders in and around Kisangani throughout the late 19th and early 20th century. It addresses how these women were able to negotiate their condition and that of their peers through several forms of alliance.

Paper long abstract:

This paper discusses a limited sample of life histories of women who were married to or enslaved by so-called "Arab(ised)" traders throughout the late 19th and early 20th century in the region of Kisangani (Democratic Republic of the Congo). The stories of these women were recollected through oral interviews with their descendants. The paper addresses three particular elements: (1) the hazy boundary between slavery and marriage in a more general context of relations of dependency and a predominance of "wealth in people" societal structures; (2) the agency of these women in their access to/pursuit of social and economic mobility for themselves and their relatives; and (3) the relative status of bridewealth to distinguish between different types of alliance in the region.