ABSTRACT
To examine the sort of commercial economy that existed among the Tio, it is essential to discuss successively the currencies used, the prices, the volume of the trade, and the role of Tio traders. The chapter deals with a brief sketch of the impact of this commercial system on Tio society. Ngiele were used as currency before the brass rod (mitako) replaced them. The most important currency and even, according to Guiral, 'the only money' was the brass rod called mitako in the literature, ngiele by the Tio. Comparing the fluctuations of prices over time can be done only if one remembers the constant devaluation of the mitako. Comparing prices for one commodity at the same time in different markets shows consistent rises in price between the market nearest the input of the good and the market furthest away from it. This chapter discusses the major economic effects of the commercial economy.
