Mbuti Pygmies Essay

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The Lives of the Mbuti or Forest Pygmies James Ferguson ANT 101 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology Prof. Michael King February 14, 2013 Introduction The Mbuti or forest pygmies are a tribe that inhabitat the Ituri portion of the Congo rainforest. The primary focus of this paper is study aspects of their lives and social structure to better understand how they maintain a peaceful existence within their own tribe and the tribes and villages neighboring them. The Diet of the Mbuti tribe To gain a closer look at the lives of the Mbuti, the first aspect of their lives is what they eat. Are the Mbuti farmers, foragers, or hunter-gatherers? What types of tools do they use to maintain their food supply? Actually the best way to describe them may be hunter-gatherer-foragers. The Mbuti tribe has an intimate knowledge of their home. After living in various regions of the Rain forest for generations, they know exactly where to harvest the mushrooms, roots, and many other types of vegetation they use as their primary food source. They are also very aware of what plants are poisonous and unsafe to eat. (Salopek, 2005). Not only do they eat plants that grow from the forest they are also very skilled hunters. The men of the Mbuti, equipped with bow and arrows, are the primary hunters of the tribe. The women and children also help with the hunts by chasing prey into large nets held by the awaiting men. (Salopek, 2005). Belief Systems of the Mbuti The next facet of the Mbuti’s lives that needs to be researched is their belief system. Do they worship one god or many? What kinds of rituals are performed during worship or when a member of the tribe dies? The Mbuti tribe believes the forest is very sacred referring to it as mother. They hold so much respect and reverence for their home they recognize it as their chief deity. The reason

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