PYGMIES OF AFRICA

[Music] most african pygmies live in dense tropical forests which lie along the congo river in central africa forests with towering trees that almost shut out the blazing equatorial sun beneath these trees a tangled mass of vines and heavy vegetation in almost perpetual gloom here is found the rare night ape or bush baby a shy creature which prowls about the branches in the gloom and the scaly anteater repelling an appearance but a toothsome delicacy to the natives within the forests dwell the pygmies a dwarf-like people brown-skinned and shy here is a pygmy woman starting to build a hut a shelter such as the tribe uses temporarily in its forest wanderings in search of game for the most part the pygmies live out of doors they usually build shelters just before the rainy season which is now approaching how skillfully the hands interlace the viney framework and now with this completed the pygmy woman orders one of her children to bring leaves for a covering large thick magongo leaves almost like tile or shingle when arranged in double thickness these magongo leaves are attached to the framework by slits which have been made in the central rib of each leaf when this covering has been completed it will keep the hut interior dry under the most violent tropical rains as a finishing touch branches are put on these help hold the roof of leaves in place the house is now complete and the family promptly moves in in the moist heat of the tropical forest the pygmies always keep a fire going usually to dry themselves and also occasionally to cook their food securing vegetables for food is comparatively easy in the profuse growth among the giant trees this woman with baby and homemade basket will not have far to search for materials which ages of experience have taught the pygmies are good for food she finds here a vine of apa its tuberous roots are somewhat like sweet potatoes but the alpha vine does not require cultivation the digging knife and other tools the pygmies use are obtained in trade with nearby congo tribes another pygmy woman is gathering the fruits of the taywave vine these look like small potatoes but they develop on the tailway vine above the ground they likewise go into a homemade basket thus instead of shopping at markets or cultivating gardens pygmy women get their fruits and vegetables directly from the dense forests in which their villages are located with the securing of vegetables and fruits the building of huts and the care of children pygmy women do a great deal more work than do the men hunting is the principal activity of the men several of whom we see here making arrows fire is used to straighten and harden the arrow shafts which are made from small branches of certain forest shrubs and trees wood for bows comes from tough springy native woods when the bow has been completed a string made of twisted tough vegetable fiber is attached how skillfully the loop is made the pygmies cover arrow points with a deadly poison made from the inner bark of the herota vine after the outer bark is scraped off the inner bark is heated in the ever-ready fire and is then removed and crushed the poison in the juice of this bark is deadly quickly causing nausea and then complete paralysis these men are handling the pulp with apparent carelessness because the poison is not effective unless it enters the bloodstream directly this is why the small arrows when smeared with this poison need only to pierce the skin to become deadly weapons another preparation for hunting spear practice one pygmy attaches a large fruit to a rope and whirls it swiftly at rope's length the others attempt to hit the fleeting object by casting their spears at it the target movement is much like that of an attacking or retreating animal a well-aimed spear makes a hit [Music] this hunter has cleverly concealed a deep pit along a forest pathway the community is almost out of meat so he makes a quiet trip to see if an animal may have fallen through the twigs and leaves which hide the pit there is no game and so he returns to the village where preparations are being made for a community hunt all members join in this and all share in the game secured this pygmy is having his face painted by his wife wood ashes are used in this facial decoration which is always a part of preparation for hunting the designs are intended to give the wearers a ferocious appearance as a final preparation this hunter gives his bow a test and sees to his arrows note the different types of arrowheads each for a special purpose if the coming hunt is not successful the pygmy village will move to a new location where game is more plentiful the hunters are led by their sultani or chief and are accompanied by older boys who are learning this all-important activity the chief has determined in advance the scene of the hunt deep within the forest along well-known paths at first and then even deeper into the jungle at the proper time the sultani calls a halt and dispatches scouts into the thickets nearby silent hunters with keen ears and eyes alert for signs of game one pygmy has brought along the precious fire which is lighted for the group a father and his son steal forth for a drink using a leaf for a cup the youngsters keen eyes wander over the scene [Music] and he spies a monkey quickly the deadly shaft is sped and the monkey crashes down monkey meat is a great delicacy to the pygmies and we can imagine the lads pride in securing the first game of the hunt a short distance in another direction two scouts have come upon fresh tracks of the pygmy antelope a common food animal about the size of a rabbit they signal their comrades the group responds quickly and silently one hunter cites the quarry a truly accurate throw of the spear along with the vegetables and the monkey meat the pygmy antelope will contribute to a feast another pair of scouts alert even while drinking have spied two tortoises these two some delicacies are easily caught and are quickly rushed back to the village this will be roast tortoise a food not far removed from our own turtle soup after being roasted the meat is removed from the shells ready for eating when the remainder of the feast has been prepared large magongo leaves form good receptacles for the tortoise meat keeping it away from dirt and insects thus the pygmies have learned through long experience how to secure food and shelter directly from the tropical forest which they have made their home in wandering through the vast dark forest about them the pygmies long ago learned to collect honey stored up a wild bees to collect it for food and for an article of barter here they have discovered a bee tree a giant lyanna or vine forms a natural ladder for those who climb the tree meanwhile their comrades on the ground make a basket to store the honey the framework is of interlaced vines inside which leaves will be placed the tree climbers use a smudge to drive away the bees while their comrades finish their most practical receptacle for the sweet honeycomb although many pygmies lose their lives in such dangerous climbing it still is a popular pursuit for honey is a delicacy to add to their food supply and beeswax is valuable as an article of trade a little snack now even before allowing their tribesmen in the village to join them the leader doles out the delicious morsels to his helpers the inner bark of the malumbo tree is used to fill the pygmies clothing wants which as we have seen are simple after the tree is filled the bark is peeled off whole and preparations are made to separate the worthless outer bark from the inner this is done simply by stripping it back leaving the inner bark in one piece this is folded back upon itself and pounded with a piece of solid ivory scored at the bottom the pounding thins out the tough crisscross fibers and is repeated until the cloth acquires the desired texture this operation completed the bark cloth is hung up in the sun the warmth aids in expelling moisture left in after pounding is finished and also toughens the fibers thus the inner bark becomes a fairly soft durable cloth provided by nature now for material to dye the cloth these pygmies are using a piece of kula wood which has a rich warm brown tone they rub it upon the surface of a stone applying water from time to time when enough dye has been secured it is rubbed well into the bark cloth until an even color is obtained from this bark cloth the pygmies make their clothing and they sometimes use it for trade with cloth beeswax and other articles of barter on hand it is decided to go on a trading expedition the sultani now leads his men to one of the hiding places of their most valued possessions elephant tusks eager for a safe journey to the trading post he warns of threatening clouds the approach of the rainy season all speed must be employed the tusks represent many elephant hunts although the pygmies are little more than four feet tall they are exceptionally strong and are skilled hunters of the vicious african elephants they often move their villages in order to stay close to their huge quarry elephant meat is another of their foods and neighboring tribes provide a ready market for ivory now the tusks are all accounted for three dozen of them hundreds of pounds of ivory which eventually will find its way to many parts of the world you know sultani urges his men back to the village with the tusks final preparations must be made quickly for transporting the articles of barter through the dense forest to the most easily available trading village it is an occasion of real excitement for the entire village women and children welcome the party each member now goes quickly to his hut to assemble and pack other articles which are to be used for trading since the trip is vitally important the sultani asks the tribe's witch doctor to pray to mungu the great god of this hunting people of the forest for safe passage for the party at the little shrine of mungu the witch doctor makes careful preparations for his prayers leaf trays are arranged inside on these offerings will be placed when the trading party has returned and now leafy paths for the feet of mungu a path of leaves all about the shrine so moongu will not fail to find it and leafy paths to and from the shrine to guide mongoose coming in and going out and now all is ready for the witch doctor's prayer hold back the wicked rain oh moon grant us safe passage on our journey in the village all is in readiness packages are being tied this cloth neatly folded may be traded for a bunch of bananas which do not grow wild and for which therefore the pygmies must barter the witch doctor reports having completed his priestly task he is not above shouldering a tusk and doing his share of work now the party can depart on their long journey secure in the belief that they will obtain good bargains in trading and that they will return safely word has reached the chief of a nearby tribe that the party of fingers is approaching and he has all his articles of trade neatly arranged [Music] here we can see how small the pygmies are by comparing them with these congo natives of normal size greetings are exchanged between the sultani of the pygmies and the native chief handshaking is a common practice among these african tribes trading day is an occasion of importance and the barter begins only after each group is seated the pygmy sultani first shows the wares he has brought we have seen the preparation of bark cloth by the pygmies these pieces have had designs added to them we have seen them making bows of which they now offer their surplus one of their members has caught a tooth some anteater which he now exhibits with some difficulty village children run in to watch as the other chief shows his wares his tribe cultivates plantains here are dried plantains for grinding into flower his tribe is cultivated bananas also and here are manioc roots which are a common food in this region his craftsmen have made iron pointed spears and knives of iron refined by the natives themselves and slender keen blades to be bound to sticks and used as axes now the two chiefs bargain the pygmy sultani offers a prime tusk of ivory what will the chief give him well perhaps two iron-headed spears valuable in elephant hunting this is not enough then two axe blades also the pygmies need such tools still not enough well perhaps a large key knife in a leather case with a handy shoulder strap this clinches the trade finally loaded down with bunches of bananas dried plantain tools of iron and packages of precious salt the pygmy trading party arrived back at their village the products of trade will be distributed to all everyone is pleased with the outcome of the venture the witch doctor is sent at once back to the shrine of mungu to offer thanks thanks for a safe journey and for good bargains going immediately to the little shrine of mungu great god of the forest he offers dried plantains one of the most delicious pygmy foods salt most precious of all goods to the little forest people also is offered on a megongo leaf the witch doctor's faith in mungu is clearly evident so likewise is his delight that moongu has protected the party on his journey and has brought it safely back eagerly the witch doctor offers thanks to moon goo god of the shy little brown skinned people the nomadic hunters of this tropical forest foreign