Introduction
Britain and Germany were the earliest European countries to scramble for territories in East Africa. The scramble for East African colonies started from 1880 -1895 (Maxon 2009). The years were crucially determined by the fates of most African communities. During European imperialism, African communities lost their culture and traditions (Alpers 1976). The East African communities’ natural resources were depleted during European imperialism. The policies that were adopted by European imperialists destroyed the colonies, rather than helped them.
Discussion
European imperialism led to a cultural loss in the East African community. The advent of European imperialism in East Africa led to several changes in the region, including the loss of many traditional cultures. One of the most significant changes was the introduction of Christianity, which changed the region’s religious landscape (Maxon 009). With the arrival of missionaries, many East Africans converted to Christianity. This profoundly impacted traditional cultures as Christian beliefs and practices began to replace traditional ones. In addition, the introduction of Western education also led to the decline of customary cultures. Many East Africans began to adopt Western values and ways of life, which led to the loss of many customs.
The Europeans heavily extracted vast resources from East Africa. For instance, the Imperial British East Africa Association aimed to acquire East African raw materials for the benefit of Britain (Maxon 2009). The Europeans had little regard for East African communities. In developing their home countries, the Europeans created artificial boundaries that cut across ethnic and linguistic groups and disrupted trade and other economic ties, thus leading to the loss of resources for the East African communities (Stapleton 2013). The vast natural wealth of the countries was siphoned off by the colonial powers, leaving Africans poor and marginalized. In many cases, the communities were also forced to work in the mines and plantations of their colonial masters, further depleting their raw materials. The legacy of European imperialism continues to be felt in East Africa today. The East African countries are still struggling to develop, and many East Africans remain impoverished (Stapleton 2013). The artificial boundaries created by the colonial powers also continue to cause problems, as ethnic and linguistic tensions often lead to conflict.
Conclusion
In conclusion, during European imperialism, East African cultures lost their cultures and tradition due to the introduction of Christianity and Western culture. European imperialism led to the depletion of resources and the creation of artificial boundaries. The East African communities are still suffering from poverty.
Bibliography
Alpers, Edward A. “Gujarat and the Trade of East Africa, c. 1500-1800” The International Journal of African Historical Studies 9, no. 1 (1976): 22-44.
Maxon, Robert M. 2009. East Africa: An Introductory History. Morgantown: West Virginia University Press.
Stapleton, T. 2013. A Military History of Africa. Praeger Publishers