The indigenous forest peoples of the Congo Basin, known
collectively as "Pygmies," are the largest and most diverse group
of active hunter-gatherers remaining in the world. At least fifteen
different ethno-linguistic groups exist in the Congo Basin with a
total population of 250,000 to 350,000 individuals. Extensive
knowledge about these groups has accumulated in the last forty
years, but readers have been forced to piece together what is known
from many sources. French, Japanese, American, and British
researchers have conducted the majority of the research; each
national research group has its own academic traditions, history,
and publications. Here, leading academic authorities from diverse
national traditions summarize recent research on forest
hunter-gatherers.
The volume explores the diversity and uniformity of Congo Basin
hunter-gatherer life by providing detailed but accessible overviews
of recent research. It represents the first book in over
twenty-five years to provide a comprehensive and holistic overview
of African forest hunter-gatherers. Chapters discuss the cultural
variation in characteristic features of Congo Basin hunter-gatherer
life, such as their yodeled polyphonic music, pronounced
egalitarianism, multiple-child caregiving, and complex relations
with neighboring farming groups. Other contributors address
theoretical issues, such as why Pygmies are short, how tropical
forest hunter-gatherers live without the carbohydrates they receive
from neighboring farmers, and how hunter-gatherer children learn to
share so extensively.
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