Boma (building)
Boma is a Swahili language expression for one or more fortified buildings. Places secured with palisade walls were also referred to with this term. Since the administrative and police headquarters were in fortified buildings during the colonial era, the term is still used in many places for the current - also unfortified - buildings of the local administrative headquarters. The word "bomani" (on the boma) is a common place and street name in East African cities.
history
Due to the primitive armament of the indigenous population (only spears and bows and arrows) and the Arab population, which was also only equipped with very simple firearms, fortress construction only experienced a new heyday in the colonial era. The solid masonry buildings with small windows, which were usually rectangular or square like a fort around an inner courtyard (mostly with a fountain), were similar in structure to a medieval castle. They usually had a tower (for observation), a battlements, often with battlements, various artillery pieces (light cannons or machine guns) and only one entrance through a heavily armored gate.
The boma contained the offices of the administrative officials of an area, the headquarters of the chief administrative officer, the quarters of the police and military units, and usually the respective court. In many cases the (European) civil administration officials also lived in the boma. The main gate was always guarded and access was controlled. The gate was usually closed when it got dark.
From a military point of view, the principle has proven itself well in colonial times. During the uprisings of the indigenous population in the colonies, no boma could be stormed in combat, which was defended by the planned occupation. In addition to the unsuitable arming of the attackers and the lack of siege tools, the defenders also benefited from the lack of effective armor (only wooden or leather shields), so that, for example, during the Maji Maji uprising in German East Africa, around 10,000 African rebels took part in the experiments of the storming of the German forts were killed, with minimal losses of the defenders.
Others
After the name of the colonial administration building, music and dance groups that imitate British military bands are called boma in Malawi and neighboring countries in southern Africa . Malipenga Boma in Malawi is an ensemble formation with several calabash Mirlitons replacing European trumpets, drums, voices and dancers.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Alfons Michael Duration : Tradition of African Wind Orchestras and the Origin of Jazz. (Contributions to jazz research, vol. 7) Akademische Druck- und Verlagsanstalt, Graz 1985, p. 89