10 BiAS - Bible in Africa Studies Obvious Vengeyi ALUTA CONTINUA BIBLICAL HERMENEUTICS FOR LIBERATION Interpreting biblical texts on slavery for liberation of Zimbabwean underclasses 10 Bible in Africa Studies Études sur la Bible en Afrique Bibel-in-Afrika-Studien Bible in Africa Studies Études sur la Bible en Afrique Bibel-in-Afrika-Studien V olume 10 edited by Joachim Kügler, Masiiwa R. Gunda, Lovemore Togarasei, Eric Souga Onomo in cooperation with Ezra Chitando and Nisbert Taringa 2013 Aluta Continua Biblical Hermeneutics for Liberation Interpreting Biblical Texts on Slavery for Liberation of Zimbabwean Underclasses by Obvious Vengeyi 2013 Bibliographische Information der Deutschen Nationalbibliothek Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek verzeichnet diese Publikation in der Deutschen Nationalbibliographie; detaillierte bibliographische Informationen sind im Internet über http://dnb.ddb.de/ abrufbar Diese Arbeit wurde von der Fakultät Sprach- und Literaturwissenschaft der Universität Bayreuth als Doktorarbeit unter dem Titel “Aluta Continua Biblical Hermeneutics of Liberation: Engaging Slavery Texts in the Bible in the Struggle aginst Exploitation of Domestic Workers in Zimbabwe” angenommen. Erstgutachten: Prof. Dr. Joachim Kügler Zweitgutachten: Prof. Dr. Susanne Talabardon Tag der mündlichen Promotionsprüfung: 16. Mai 2012 Dieses Werk ist als freie Onlineversion über den Hochschulschriften- Server (OPUS; http://www.Opus-bayern.de/uni-bamberg/) der Univer- sitätsbibliothek Bamberg erreichbar. Kopien und Ausdrucke dürfen nur zum privaten und sonstigen eigenen Gebrauch angefertigt werden. Herstellung und Druck: docupoint GmbH, Barleben Umschlaggraphik: © Joachim Kügler Umschlaggestaltung: Joachim Kügler / University of Bamberg Press, Andra Brandhofer Textformatierung: I. Loch / J. Kügler / O. Vengeyi © University of Bamberg Press Bamberg 2013 http://www.uni-bamberg.de/ubp/ ISSN: 2190-4944 ISBN: 978-3-86309-166-8 (Druckausgabe) eISBN: 978-3-86309-167-5 (Online-Ausgabe) URN: urn:nbn:de:bvb:473-opus4-37641 TABLE OF CONTENTS ABBREVIATIONS/ACRONYMS 13 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 16 PREFACE 18 CHAPTER ONE 20 GENERAL INTRODUCTION 20 Overview of the Study 20 Setting the Agenda: The Problem 21 The State of Domestic Work in Zimbabwe 21 The Contrast between Pervasive Christianity and Abundant Poverty 22 The Historical Ambiguity of Christianity and the Bible 24 The ‘Absence’ or ‘Silence’ of Biblical Exegetes of Liberation in Zimbabwe 24 The Ideological Premise of the Church and Biblical Exegesis 26 Justification of the Study 28 Timeliness and Importance of the Study 28 Comparison of Zimbabwe’s Domestic Workers with Ancient Slaves 30 Legally Oriented Understanding of Slavery 31 Sociologically Oriented Understanding of Slavery 34 Methodology 39 Historical-Cultural-Materialist Methodology 39 Assumptions of the Method 40 Methodological Parameters for Engaging the Bible in Contemporary Struggles 42 Merits of the Method 44 Point of Departure 45 CHAPTER TWO 47 DEBT-SLAVERY IN THE A.N.E. AND IN ISRAEL 47 Introduction 47 Types and Causes of slavery in the A.N.E 48 The Formation of City-States in the A.N.E 49 Social Stratification in Mesopotamia 51 Debt-slavery in the A.N.E 53 High interest rates on Loans 54 Habiru/Peasant Reaction to Exploitation of the City-States 55 5 The Emergence of Israel in Canaan 58 The Conquest Model of Israelite Settlement 59 The Infiltration Model of Israelite Settlement 60 The Peasant Revolt Model of Israelite Settlement 62 Apiru/Habiru Contribution to the Peasant Revolution 65 The Aim of the Habiru-Peasant Revolt 67 Role of Yahwism in the Habiru-Peasant Revolt 68 The Origins of Yahweh, the God of the Oppressed 70 Yahweh’s Gender and Engagement in Gender Struggles of Early Israel 72 Major Highlights of the Peasant Revolt Model 74 Retribalised Pre-Monarchic Israel 76 The Rise of Monarchic Israel: ‘A return to Egypt’ 77 Negative Effects of the Monarchy to Yahwism 78 The Monarchy as Replica of Egyptian Slavery 80 Burdens of Forced Labour and Taxes 82 Insatiable Greedy Among the Ruling Elite 85 Unequal Access to the Land 87 Despicable Exploitation in the Eighth Century BCE 88 Elite Theology of Legitimation of Ill-Gotten Wealth 93 Counter Status-Quo Theology: Amos’ Theology 94 Conclusion 97 CHAPTER THREE 99 THE LIBERATION MOTIF IN SLAVERY/MANUMISSION LAWS 99 Introduction 99 The Relationship of yrIêb.[i db,[,ä with Habiru, Hebrews and Israelites 100 The Use of the term ~yrI+b.[ih' ‘The Hebrews’ in Israelite Literature 104 ‘Hebrew Slaves’ as the Habiru of the Israelite Society 108 ‘Hebrew Slaves’ as Socially Dead Israelites 109 Israelite Manumission Laws 113 Exo 21:20-21; 26-27: Context for Interpretation of Manumission Laws 114 Context and Interpretation of Exo 21:7-11 119 Understanding Exo 21:7-11 in the Light of Amos 2:7 121 Context and Interpretation of Exo 21:2-6 126 Context and Interpretation of Deut 15:12-18 128 Context and Interpretation of Lev 25:39-55 135 6 Date of Composition of Manumission Laws 139 Implications for the Struggle of Domestic Workers in Zimbabwe 141 Conclusion 149 CHAPTER FOUR 150 PRECOLONIAL SHONA SOCIETY: A TWIN OF PREMONARCHIC ISRAEL 150 Introduction 150 Who are the Shona? 151 The Shona Communal Mode of Production (CMP) 153 Socio-Economic Organisation of the CMP 153 Religious/Ideological Tools of the CMP 156 The Matrix of Shona ‘Domestic Labour’ in CMP 158 Domestic Work for Daughters-in-law and Sons-in-law 159 Domestic Work for Children 160 Shona Domestic Labour and Upward Social Mobility 161 Hokwa and Kuronza practices 161 Ufudzi Practice of Domestic Labour 162 Domestic Labour as Substitute for Roora 164 Kutema Ugariri: Shona Version of Domestic Slavery? 164 Kutema Ugariri: A Noble Shona Practice of Domestic Labour 167 The Strength of the Communal Mode of Production 169 The Rise of the Shona Tributary Mode of Production (TMP) 169 Key Features and Institutions of the Shona TMP 170 Negative Effects of the Shona TMP 172 Social Stratification and Incipient Exploitation 172 Impoverishment of the Underclasses 173 Introduction of State Tax, Free Labour and Court Levies 175 Hijacking of the Religious System by the Ruling Elite 176 The Response of the Underclasses to Exploitation 178 Emergence of Militia, Mercenaries and Bandits 178 The Emergence of Mwari ‘cult’ of Resistance 181 Implications for the Struggle of Domestic Workers Today 183 Conclusion 185 7 CHAPTER FIVE 186 THE ROLE OF CHRISTIANITY, BIBLICAL INTERPRETATION AND TRANSLATION IN ENTRENCHING COLONIALISM AND EXPLOITATION OF AFRICANS 186 Introduction 186 The Rise of the Capitalist Mode of Production Among the Shona 187 The Role of Christian Missionaries in the Rise of Capitalism in Zimbabwe 189 Military Conquest and the Scramble for Africa 192 Christian Missionaries and the Scramble for Zimbabwe 194 Immediate Effects of Capitalism and Colonisation on the Zimbabweans 197 From Owners to Mere Labourers 197 Exorbitant Taxes and Ground Rents 198 Forced Labour, Corporal Punishment and Exploitative Tax 199 African Resistance to the Demands of Capitalism and Colonialism 201 The First Chimurenga-Peasant Revolution 201 Counter-revolutionaries: Collaborators/Sell-outs 203 The Aftermaths of the First Chimurenga 203 Further Land Dispossessions 203 Intensified Abuse and Ill-treatment of Labourers 206 Targeted Underdevelopment of Africans: Colonial Education 207 Christian Villages and the Enslavement of Africans 209 Missionary Education and Colonial Interests 212 Western Bibical Scholarship and Definition of Colonial Race Relations 214 ‘Biblical Roots’ of Master and Servant Relationship 214 ‘Biblical’ Interpretation of Zimbabwean History 218 Bible Translation and the Colonisation of Indigenous Heritage 220 Bible Translation and Gendering of Mwari-Musikavanhu 221 Bible Translation and the Colonisation of African Ancestors and Ceremonies 223 Instruments of Oppression Turned into Instruments of Liberation 224 Implications for the Second Chimurenga and Today’s Biblical Appropriation 226 Conclusion 230 8 CHAPTER SIX 231 MASTERS AND DOMESTIC SERVANTS IN COLONIAL ZIMBABWE 231 Introduction 231 Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century British context 231 Nineteenth Century South African Context 234 Master and Servants Act: History and Practical Implications 235 Demographic Patterns of Domestic Servants in Colonial Zimbabwe 238 Domestic Service: The Site for Racial and Gender Struggles 240 Hours of Work for Domestic Servants 243 Salary for Domestic Servants 245 Impact of Market and Non Market Forces on Wages 246 Effects of Residential Laws on Domestic Servants 248 The Politics of Language in Domestic Service 251 Names and Forms of Address between Domestic Servants and Masters 252 Corporal Punishment and Killing of Domestic Servants by Masters 253 Reactions of Domestic Workers to Exploitation 255 Black Peril Fears and Domestic Servants 257 Black Peril Fears: Ensuing Race and Gender Struggles 257 Socio-Economic Mechanisms to Combat ‘Black Peril’ 260 Employment of Black Females as Solution to ‘Black Peril’ 261 The Fear of ‘Yellow Peril’ and ‘White Peril’ 262 Africans, Christian Missionaries and Government Responses to ‘White Peril’ 265 Employment of White Females as Solution to Sexual Perils 268 Possible Explanations to Sexual Perils 269 Contribution of Domestic Servants to the Second Chimurenga 271 Conclusion 274 CHAPTER SEVEN 276 DOMESTIC WORKERS IN POST-COLONIAL ZIMBABWE 276 Introduction 276 ‘Exodus from Egypt to Canaan’: Biblical Hermeneutical Premise for the Second Chimurenga 276 Domestic Servants’ Journey from ‘Egypt to Canaan’: 1980-1990 278 From Domestic Servants to Domestic Workers