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Paths
in the Rainforests
Toward a History of Political Tradition
in Equatorial Africa
Jan Vansina
"Until the publication of Paths in the Rainforests,
it was difficult to make more than superficial attacks on the
widespread myth that Central African peoples live in 'impenetrable
jungles as their ancestors have lived for thousands of years.'
Even those few among the 200-plus small scale societies that
we have understood in some depth have seemed isolated in time
and space. Jan Vansina's Paths makes a truly significant
contribution to African history by providing a solid framework
for the description and integration of a millennium of evolution
of the many societies of the vast rainforests."—Curtis A. Keim, African Studies Review
Vansina's scope is breathtaking: he reconstructs the history
of the forest lands that cover all or part of southern Cameroon,
Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, the Congo, Zaire, the Central African
Republic, and Cabinda in Angola, discussing the original settlement
of the forest by the western Bantu; the periods of expansion
and innovation in agriculture; the development of metallurgy;
the rise and fall of political forms and of power; the coming
of Atlantic trade and colonialism; and the conquest of the rainforests
by colonial powers and the destruction of a way of life.
"In 400 elegantly brilliant pages Vansina
lays out five millennia of history for nearly 200 distinguishable
regions of the forest of equatorial Africa around a new, subtly
paradoxical interpretation of 'tradition.'"—Joseph
Miller, University of Virginia
"Vansina gives extended coverage . . . to the broad features
of culture and the major lines of historical development across
the region between 3000 B.C. and A.D. 1000. It is truly an outstanding
effort, readable, subtle, and integrative in its interpretations,
and comprehensive in scope. . . . It is a seminal study . . .
but it is also a substantive history that will long retain its
usefulness."—Christopher Ehret, American Historical
Review
Jan Vansina is the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur
Professor and the Vilas Professor in History and Anthropology
at the University of WisconsinMadison. His many books include
his 1994 memoir Living with Africa,
Oral Tradition as History, Kingdoms of
the Savanna, and The Children of Woot, all published
by the University of Wisconsin Press.
Media & bookseller inquiries regarding review copies, events, and interviews can be directed to the publicity department at publicity@uwpress.wisc.edu or (608) 263-0734. (If you want to examine a book for possible course use, please see our Course Books page. If you want to examine a book for possible rights licensing, please see Rights & Permissions.)
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October 1990
LC: 90-050100 DT
448 pp., 5 7/8 x 9,
Maps and figures
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