PROLOGUE: THE ARAB TRADER WARS

Isolated from the outside world, one might only speculate at the wonder of the first Nandi warriors who discovered the Arab caravan in the 1850's. Those warriors might not have known of earlier Arab caravans, because this was the first notable one in Nandi oral tradition. It was the time when the Sawe sub-sets were warriors and by 1854, the name Marmar ("to ornament a dress") had been conveyed upon a sub-set. The significance of this title might be derived from the major Arab defeat at Kipsoboi, but may have been attributed to the very successful raiding of Arab caravans by the Nandi. These were good years for the Nandi.

Part of the reason for the Nandi success was the limited access. The easiest approach was from the north-east, but a caravan had to travel two or three days before reaching principal Nandi settlements. This evidently was not preferable as the Arab caravans diverted east to Kavirondo and Mumias where food and protection was located. Since direct trade contact was not possible, the caravans after the 1850's rarely entered or camped in Nandi, a strange "middle man" system evolved.

Due to the casualties to the caravans, trusted Sotik and Dorobo agents were employed to act as "middle men". These agents would trade ivory and other coastal goods for cattle to the Nandi for a large commission. Enterprising Arab traders hoping to circumvent this arrangement often fell victims to a Nandi ploy. A few old Nandi warriors would meet the armed caravan and tell them that a large supply of ivory was only two or three days journey from the caravan. However, the Nandi were only willing to entertain a small Arab party to negotiate a trade. Dutifully, a party of twenty men would be dispatched with cloth, wire, and other trade goods only to be ambushed by the Nandi and massacred. Another ruse used by the Nandi was to send a small party of warriors to lead the prospective caravan into the depths of Nandi by the wrong road and then conduct a night attack. The Arab traders even attempted a tactic that had worked with other tribes, blood brotherhood. This consisted of sitting opposite one another, cutting the back of each other's hand and sucking the blood from one another's hand. The Nandi held no credence to such a foreign ceremony, and it only became another ploy to easily acquire coastal goods.

1 -- Stratagems for the Stronger Force (1-6)
2 -- Stratagems for Two Equal Forces (7-12)
3 -- Stratagems for Direct Attack (13-18)
4 -- Stratagems to Confuse the Enemy (19-24)
5 -- Stratgems to Gain Ground (25-30)
6 -- Stratagems Before the Last Stand (31-36)

Read on to see the stratagems and see how they apply to your unique situation.