Pygmy house made with sticks and leaves in northern Republic of the Congo. (Photo courtesy of "Tornasole")
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AFRICAN PEOPLES OF THE RAINFOREST
Today the African rainforest is home to some of the most celebrated tribal people, the so-called "Pygmies" of the
Ituri forest in northern Zaire. The tallest of these people, known as the Mbuti, rarely exceed five feet (1.5 m). Besides the Mbuti, there are three other major rainforest peoples of Africa: the Aka (Central African Republic
and northern Congo), the Baka (southern Cameroon), and the Twa (central Zaire river basin). Together these groups
account for some 130,000 to 170,000 forest dwellers distributed over a large area of forest. The result is low
population density; the Mbuti average fewer than one person for every one-and-a-half square miles (four square
kilometers).
African forest people tend to be noticeably smaller than those from the savannas, the Pygmies being the most extreme
example. Their small stature undoubtedly enables them to move about the forest more efficiently than taller peoples.
Additionally, their smaller body mass allows pygmies to dissipate their body heat better.
These peoples live in bands that range in size from 15-70 people depending largely on outside factors—hunting,
trading, disease, and forest area. These groups tend to be nomadic, moving to new parts of the forest several times
during the year and carrying all their possessions on their backs. Their nomadic lifestyle is less damaging to the
rainforest environment because it allows the group to move without over-exploiting the local game and forest resources.
When they establish a settlement, they clear any undergrowth, small trees, and saplings, leaving the canopy-forming
trees intact. Under the cover of canopy, the pygmies are protected from the powerful tropical sun and can better
harvest such things as honey and game. By leaving the canopy intact, when the group leaves, the area can quickly
return to semi-primary forest. Their huts superficially resemble igloos, with a domed latticework formed with saplings
and walls of shingled tree leaves.
Most African forest people spend much of the year near a village where they trade bush meat and honey for manioc,
produce, and other goods. A forest family will almost always trade with the village family of its choosing, and
once determined, usually continues to trade exclusively with the same family. Sometimes, the relationship between the
forest family and the village family will be passed on to future generations. The forest people could stay in the
village if they chose, but instead return to the better life of the forest where they have less disease, cleaner
water, less work, more choices, less uncertainty, no need for money, and fewer disputes. Studies have revealed that
African forest people have better health and dietary intake than other populations in sub-Saharan Africa.
The day-to-day life of the forest people is probably simpler than that of the villagers. The women do most of the
gathering, using baskets they carry on their backs. Men concentrate on hunting and the collection of honey—perhaps
the forest product most prized and highly sought after by the Mbuti and other forest peoples. The Mbuti will climb
more than 100 feet (30 m) into the canopy to reach the honey-containing beehives. When they reach the nest, the climbers
burn a type of wood which produces a smoke that stuns the bees and enables the Mbuti to break into the hive and
collect the honey.
African forest peoples are excellent hunters and each forest group specializes in its own hunting method. For
example, the Efe people almost hunt their prey (over 45 species of animal) almost exclusively with bows and arrows. Other
groups use both bows and arrows and netting to capture their prey. Although in these groups, men do most of the
hunting of arboreal animals using bows and arrows and crossbows, women play an important role in the capture of
ground-dwelling animals. The men arrange the nets into a semi-circle and form a wall, up to one kilometer in length,
of hunting nets. The women scare animals into the nets where the men use spears to kill the game.
Traditionally forest people have a great deal of respect for the animals they hunt and do not over-exploit the
game. Even so, the bush-meat trade has increased beyond sustainable levels over the past few years to meet the
growing demand of expanding village populations. Additionally, African forest peoples are being hired as trackers
by ivory poachers to track down the endangered forest elephants, whose tusks are more valuable than those of savanna
elephants.
AFRICAN FOREST PEOPLES TODAY
The small number (in proportion to the sub-Saharan population) of forest people are highly threatened by destruction
of their homelands and official government policies to end their forest traditions. No legal land titles have been
granted to African forest peoples by Central African governments. During the 1980s and first half of the 1990s,
according the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, Africa lost the highest percentage of rainforest (10.5 percent)
of any forested realm, resulting in a further decline of the forest peoples. Much of the deforestation is the result
of the expansion of villages, due to population pressures, into forest areas, and commercial logging by multinational
corporations. Logging is especially problematic because logging settlements and roads into the interior open huge
tracts of previously inaccessible forest to rapid colonization. Logging camps not only bring unwanted colonists,
but also bring disease to the forest people who lack immunity to outside diseases like malaria. In addition, the
loggers usually do not bring manioc and produce to trade with the forest people, but instead introduce money, tobacco,
and marijuana. Game is becoming scarce for the pygmies from poaching by loggers and the noise created by their
heavy machinery and chainsaws.
The recent civil war and mass exodus of refugees from Eastern Zaire, has had unknown effects on the native
forest peoples. Thousands of refugees retreated into the rainforest. The extent of the interaction between the
refugees and the natives is largely unknown at the time of writing, though reportedly in some areas pygmies were having difficulty
trapping sufficient amounts of meat.
Review questions:
- Are pygmies real?
- Why is the traditional lifestyle of African forest people threatened?
[print version | spanish | french | portuguese | chinese | japanese]
Continued: Asian Forest People
This article was written by Rhett A. Butler [bibliographic citation for this page] and was last updated on the most recent date listed in the column on the right side.
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WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
INTERACT
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Recent news
New rainforest and indigenous reserve established in Peru
(02/07/2012) On February 4th, the Peruvian government and a small indigenous group created a new Amazon reserve, dubbed the Maijuna Reserve. Located in northeastern Peru, the 390,000 hectare (970,000 acres) reserve is larger than California's Yosemite National Park and over three times the size of Hong Kong.
Guyanese tribe maps Connecticut-sized rainforest for land rights
(02/07/2012) In a bid to gain legal recognition of their land, the indigenous Wapichan people have digitally mapped their customary rainforest land in Guyana over the past ten years. Covering 1.4 million hectares, about the size of Connecticut, the rainforest would be split between sustainable-use regions, sacred areas, and wildlife conservation according to a plan by the Wapichan tribe that will be released today. The plan says the tribe would preserve the forest from extractive industries.
Supernatural beliefs keep hunting sustainable on Indonesian island
(02/02/2012) How do indigenous communities hunt without pushing target species to local extinction? In other words, how have communities retained sustainable practices over countless generations. One answer is given in a new study by the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) and the Center for International Research in Agronomy and Development (CIRAD): supernatural beliefs. Looking at a community of indigenous people on the Indonesian island of Seram, researchers found that supernatural hunting beliefs ensured animals never vanished for good.
Group releases close-up photos of 'uncontacted' tribe in Peru
(02/01/2012) New photos provide visual evidence of just how close the long-isolated tribe of Mashco-Piro people in the Amazon rainforest are to being contacted by the outside world—a perilous moment for tribes highly susceptible to disease and likely to defend their people and territory with weapons. According to indigenous rights NGO Survival International, the Maschco-Piro tribe has been seen more frequently outside of their forest home in Manu National Park in recent years. Some experts blame illegal logging in the park and helicopters used in oil and gas projects for the sightings.
Brazilian mining company connected to Belo Monte dam voted worst corporation
(01/31/2012) The world's second largest mining company, Vale, has been given the dubious honor of being voted the world's most awful corporation in terms of human rights abuses and environmental destruction by the Public Eye Awards. Vale received over 25,000 votes online, likely prompted in part by its stake in the hugely controversial Brazilian mega-dam, Belo Monte, which is being constructed on the Xingu River. An expert panel gave a second award to British bank Barclay's for speculation on food prices, which the experts stated was worsening hunger worldwide.
More rainforest news
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