A growing number of Africans are moving to cities, but some people continue to maintain the lif etyle and customs of their ancestors. Outsiders have called them pygmies, a Greek word meaning dwarf, because adult Mbuti are only 4 feet tall. The Mbuti are nomads . They travel through the forest making a new camp every few weeks. The men hunt wit h spears, small arrows, and n ets, with which they hunt antelope and other small ammals.
Women gather fruits, berries, and roots.
Their way of life is threatened. Less t han 80,000 remain. The forest is be ing cut down as Africa beco mes more urban and roads are built through the forest. Governments have tried to teach the Mbuti moder n farming, but they have had little success. Most Mbuti have no interest in leaving the forest, but many people are concerned with what will happen to the Mbuti if the forest no longer exists.