Mbuti-Pygmies Essay

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Mbuti-Pygmies Barbara Wall Ant 101 Lecia Sims October 14, 2012 Mbuti-Pygmies The primary mode of subsistence is likely to influence a community’s social organization. Mode of subsistence is where a community is able to satisfy its basic needs .The Mbuti are of many people known as pygmies. Mbuti call themselves Bambuti. Mbuti are scattered throughout Africa. Tswa, Twa and Mbuti are three groups of pygmies. The other tribes are highly intermixed with other cultures they are called Pygmoids.You can find Mbuti people in Ituri forest. This area has high amounts of rainfall throughout the year. They (Mbuti) have short dry seasons throughout the year. Mbuti are the only true Pygmy tribes. The population of Mbuti range approximated 30,000 to 40,000 in Central Africa. Mbuti Are Hunters and gatherers, they (Mbuti) hunt animals and gather wild fruit. Mbuti are no more than four feet six inches tall. Western Scientists have speculated on why Mbuti are short. They claim scarcity of highly nourishing food; a genetic condition attributed to in breeding, a growth-hormone deficiency and inadequacy of substance identified as crucial to growth in humans. The term Pygmy, thought of being negativity, because of their shortness, people think they (Pygmy) have disabilities. Mbuti are normal people. Mbuti do not fill handicapped because of their height. Each (Mbuti) family lives together and lives in huts. The huts are made of saplings and leaves to make a one room beehive-shaped shelter. They build the shelters in about two hours. The hut is not high enough to stand up or wide enough to lie down for Mbuti to sleep. They (Mbuti) must curl up to sleep. The Mbuti do not build huts for comfort or for long lasting because they (Mbuti) move almost every month. The (Mbuti) families are then organizing into one large social unit known as the band. One band has 15 to 60 people. The

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