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Gomes's
Viagem..., written in 1648, presents in rare detail the relations of the Portuguese creole community with the African population of south-central Africa.
List of contents
- Acknowledgements
- Glossary
- List of maps
- List of Illustrations
- Introduction
- Portuguese text of the Viagem...
- English Translation of the Viagem...
About the author
Malyn Newitt taught at the universities of Rhodesia and Exeter where he became Deputy Vice Chancellor. From 1998 until he retired in 2005 he was the Charles Boxer Professor of History at King's College London. A specialist in Portuguese colonial history he is the author of 20 books on the subject including A History of Mozambique (1995) and the recently published A Short History of Mozambique (2017).
Summary
This account of south-central Africa, written in 1648, provides rare detail about the life of the African people of the region and their relations with the Portuguese creole community. As well as the work of the Jesuit mission, Gomes describes African gold mining, politics and social relations (including costume, marriage, medicine, witchcraft, litigation and slavery). His narrative also provides details about the coastal Macua and Portuguese knowledge of Lake Malawi, and he reports conversations with Africans in order to explain aspects of African society that might surprise or shock his fellow Jesuits. The narrative also describes the Maldive Islands and gives information about Madagascar.
Additional text
It will be a useful reference for the scholars and academics who work on East Africa during the Early Modern History and the Relationships between the Europeans and African people.
