Which routes did Yao, Tsonga, and prazo traders use in Mozambique’s slave and ivory trades?

By the 18th century, trade networks in Mozambique were essential to the export of enslaved people and ivory. These networks were facilitated by distinct groups using specific regional routes:

• Yao Traders: Developed slave networks that extended from the Marave area near the tip of Lake Nyasa to Kilwa and the Island of Mozambique.12
• Prazo Traders: Operating along the Zambezi River, these traders sold gold and enslaved people from Zumbo, Tete, and Manica to Portuguese merchants located at Quelimane.123
• Tsonga Traders: Focused on the ivory trade, they established routes originating from the Transvaal region of South Africa and the Zimbabwe plateau, leading to coastal entrepôts at Inhambane and Maputo.12

The exploitation of human beings through these trades represents a profound violation of fundamental human rights, as individuals were forcibly removed from their communities and subjected to systemic dehumanization for economic gain.12