Servitude is a customary part of African ritual. Tribes often used trade to obtain slaves by going to the chieftain and trading for livestock. Not only did the various tribes trade with the people of their own countries, but also with Europeans of other nationalities. There were times when tribes went to war and kept their chiefs and prisoners of war as slaves, to trade with European countries. Many times slaves were sold for punishment, rape, and other various crimes. Some were even forced into prison life. It was common for young men to be kidnapped and taken to a common family's home to work and serve them. Many owners would treat their slaves fairly. The masters owned a piece of property and had an apartment for their personal family along with a house for the slave family. Equiano talks in some cases about how many slaves their slaves owned. If a family was rich enough, they settled their property, i.e. slaves. They were part of the owner's family and were treated brutally compared to colonial slaves