The Baka Pygmie people live in the forests of Camaroon as hunter gatherers. Their average height is 4.9 and the big threat in their lives is deforestation. There are several fascinating websites--groups like these seem to me to be the most exotic and alien to my life. This is the stuff national geographic is made of--mysterious initiation rites and big elephant hunts. The picture above is a house (not a hut). The thing I'm most interested to look up is the singing--some pygmie groups have performed for the BBC--so they seem to be aware of the outside world. According to several sources they have no wish to leave the forest and I can't blame them. From my romanticized point of view it seems like a good life--a tightly knit group where everyone knows who they are, beautiful surroundings, simple--yet meaningful work and a fine expression of the arts in music and basket weaving. It sounds like the kind of place where I could be happy. The downside of course, would be that the food wouldn't be as plentiful as I would like it, disease and superstition.
The picture above is of manioc root. It's a major source of food in developing countries--it provides great carbs, but not so much protein and you better prepare it right to avoid a type of cyanide poisoning. This is where tapioca comes from so I'd probably like it. If I were a Baka woman I'd be spending a lot of my time pounding the manioc root with a morter and pestle.
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