Mbuti

The Mbuti Pygmies of Congo's Ituri forest have survived a brutal civil war and chaotic aftermath. But peace with its inevitable land rush poses an even greater threat. This was according to a publishment in the national geographic magazine. Mbuti or known as the Bambuti are one of several of many indigenous pygmy groups in the world they are located in Africa in the Congo region, the origin of there languages ordinates fron the Central Sudanic. They live in villages that are categorized as bands. Each hut houses a family unit. At the start of the dry season, they leave the village to enter the forest and set up a series of camps. are primarily hunter-gatherers, foraging for food in the forest. The Bambuti have a vast knowledge about the forest and the foods it yields. They collect an assortment of food like animals, fruits, and vegetables. Hunting is usually done in groups, with men, women, and children all aiding in the process. Women and children are not involved if the hunting involves the use of a bow and arrow, but if nets are used, it is common for everyone to participate. In some instances women may hunt using a net more often than men. The women and the children try to herd the animals to the net, while the men guard the net. Everyone engages in foraging, and women and men both take care of the children. Turnbull discovered every aspect of life of the bambuti they only were related to the forest. Everything in the Bambuti life is centered on the forest. They consider the forest to be their great protector and provider and believe that it is a sacred place. They sometimes call the forest “mother” or “father.”