Evening star., 1942-12-27
Pyemies Of the Congo
Forest !
Bu Frederic J. HdSkin.

Of all the primitive tribes in the world
probably the most uncivilized are thu
pygmies of the Belgian Congo. Forest
dwellers of the first order, nomadic in
character, and apparently immune to the
ways of civilization, these unusual and
often unpredictable people are not found
in all parts Of that vast and distant en-
pire of Belgium. Although rather widely
scattered, most of them are to be found
almost on the Equator.
The pygmies of the Belgian Congo have
recently been publicized as part of the
primitive mass Of natives of that great
land which seems destined to play an
important role in the economic recon-
struction of the world. The area is an.
enormous storehouse of raw materials,
which makes it all the more important,
especially to the have-not nations
There is widespread belief in the
| United States. and even in some parts
of Europe and elsewhere, that all the
black people in the forests Of the Bel
glan Congo are pygmieS. This, however,
is not the case. for there is a great diff
ference between the Congo natives and
! It's pygmies, who are, so far as known,
! also natives but not so REGARDED
| The pygmieS of the Congo have diff
! ferent features from those of the natives
and Go not intermarry with them, main
| ly because the pygmies are despised and
| considered an inferior race by the natives
who regard them not AS humans but AZ
/ ANIMALS. They are also much fewer in
rumoer than the some 10000 900 other
/ blacks which inhabt the Congos $4,000
| square miles.
The history of the pygmies is an in
definite chapter in the chronicle of man.
KIND At one time they were slaves to
the chiefs of villages and did their hunt
ing IN exchange for vegetables from the
gardens of their chiefs.
These small people are probably one
OF the most uncivilized in the world and
| not one member of the race has vet
been seen who would stay at a white
mission station long enough to be taught
how to read. On one occasion a pygmy
| promised to stay and work at a hospital
the remainder of his life in appreciation
for having been healed of ulcers He
| professed to be Christian and attended
church. faithfully worked for few weeks
and then disappeared. When seen again
| he explained that the call of the forest
and his dislike for civilization caused him
to break his promise. At one time it was
| dlfhcult to find any pygmies. for they
would disappear into the thick forest
AS soon as they saw white person And
even now, many people who have lived
in the Belgian Congo for number Of
years never have seen a member of this
unusual race because of their love for
the wilds and displeasure to live near
other people
Camps of the pygnlies are hidden in
the jungles and remain in one place
only short time, for these people are
ardent hunters and persistent travellers
They never plant gardens since they
exchange meat with the natives for
beans. bananas and corn A camp is
usually located in clearing of the for
est and consists of 10 TO IS huts. not
higher than feet. These huts are made
OF sticks and loaves and not plastered
with mud like those of the natives, for
they are merely dwelling places for only
pile behind hut gets too large. and
everything else into great disorder. the
occupants are ready to move to another
place. The forest is big so why worry?
That is their carefree attitude toward
life.
These people do not have many earth
ly possessions II they wear any clothing
at ALL it is a monkey or goat skin or
piece of pounded tree bark, which they
tie around themselves or which is some
times tied around their babies. Some
make sleeping ma Is out of grass, others
using only large banana leaf for a
bed, and since they make fires in their
huts no covering is needed. Cooking
pots are made of clay and hardened in
the fire. and to keep the steam in the
pot, 1t is neatly covered with a banana
leaf. Lovers of music, the pygmies make
their own musical instruments. as we'll
as their pipes, for they also enjoy smok-
ing, But their tobacco is a quality that
makes them dull and lazy.
1t often happens that when visitors
approach a camp they will find only a
lew old women and children to greet
them, the men having gone hunting Or
again all the inhabitants of the camp
may be at home and turn out en- masse
to greet visitors. The pygmies know
their friends and espy at once the lar
OF salt which 1t is customary to carry to
pygmy camp. Grinning, they line up
and hold out their hands for portion.
which they lick with great relish. Some
try to cheat and get two helpings
These pygmies, like other people, have
! their entertainers. For instance, one of
their number, Piccolo by professional
name, is widely known clown who lives
from gifts received for making people
laugh. Travelling from village to village,
he gives shows all by himself, demons
strating among other things how a
monkey eats an onion or a banana and
how an elephant walks uphill He has a
monkey skin draped gracefully around
1 his shoulders, a feather and leopard
tail in his cap and an empty tin can
tied around his neck with piece Of
grass. The only way to get rid of him is
to give him something, such as an old
tin can, some salt, piece of cloth or
money
These people are not always peaceful
among themselves. On one occasion, for
instance, there was war among them,
and one OF their number came to mis-
sion seeking help. Some pygmies had
| been injured by poisoned arrows and