Mbuti Culture

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In the Congo, of Africa, lives a tribe known as the Mbuti. They are pygmies (dwarf like people) living in a luscious rain forest known as the Ituri. The Ituri Forest existed prior to the last ice age. The universe of the rainforest is one of purged sunlight below a lofty, expansive cloak of trees, where abysmal peace exists with the punctuating cries of the numerous birds and animals that share the forest with the Mbuti. A consistent, peacefully affable warmth, ample rainfall, damp air, and rich earth nurture the abundance of vegetation that grows. The abundance of vegetation benefits animals, birds, and insects that are soon to become a nutrimental source of the Mbuti diet. The culture of the Mbuti derived from their dependents on the forest for survival. They believe the forest is the center of their universe and everything good or bad must come through it. The forest is a sacred haven to the tribe. They have a culture that is all their own and may seem mysterious to those who are not accustomed to their unique way of living (Tanner, p. 626-627, 1982 ). They have certain beliefs and customs that have resisted change for thousands of years, but with human influence, this is subject to change. This research paper discusses the kinship, social organization, and social change and beliefs. The Mbuti have dwelled in the Ituri Forest for thousands of years. Studies suggest the Mbuti may be the earliest inhabitants of Africa. The Egyptians were the first to document the existence of the “pygmy” society in 2500 B.C... They referred to the Mbuti as "people of the trees", due to their ability to maneuver through the trees. They saw the Mbuti as a group of people singing and dancing enjoying the gift of life. They were also written ...

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...ology. Retrieved from https://content.ashford.edu

Okotie, H. (2008). THERE is no food in the house: Gender masculinity and human security in Nigeria .Ife Psychologia, pars. 1-6. Retrieved from http://proquest.umi.com/ pqdweb?index=9&did=1637151781&SrchMode=1&sid=5&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1296891225&clientId=74379

Peterson, J. T. (1978, June). Hunter-Gatherer/Farmer Exchange. American Anthropologist, 80, 335-351.Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/676857

Role of showoff hypothesis in social decisions investigated. (2006, March 8). UPI Space Daily.

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Suroviak, C. (1996). The Mbuti of Zaire. Retrieved 1996, from http://www.ucc.uconn.edu/~epsadm03/mbuti.html

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