Is It Right to Come with Gifts for Children?
No and yes and no. On the one hand, there is some serious danger that you will contribute to the culture of begging that can…
Batwa “Pygmies”
Batwa “Pygmies” are one of the oldest peoples in Africa. For centuries they roamed the forests looking for fruits and honey, and hunted with bows and trained dogs. Around 1500 they were reached by the migrations of the Bantu peoples. As the Bantu cut down the woods for their agricultural needs, Batwa numbers dwindled over time.
In the 1980s and 1990s they were evicted from national parks in Rwanda and Uganda without compensation, becoming the poorest of the poor. Recently the authorities have shown more understanding and progress has been made. Please be cautious when offered to “see the Pygmies” and avoid exploitation of the Batwa.
Related articles (for those published before 2021 please see Batwa “Pygmies” on our old blog):
Tracking Time
38mm, 1/250s, f/5,6, ISO400 The Batwa are in many ways the Gorilla Highlands region’s forgotten people. The original inhabitants of this part of Africa, the…
Were Batwa Really Dangerous to Gorillas?
The sad story of the Batwa “Pygmies” of the Gorilla Highlands reached its dramatic peak when they were kicked out of national parks. This was in line with the…
Batwa “Pygmies”: History and Present
The Batwa “Pygmies” are one of the oldest peoples in Africa and their origin is unknown. They were hunter-gatherers, roaming the forests in bands foraging for honey, wild yams, fruit, stems…
Walk-In Theatre
24mm, 30s, f/4, ISO2500 Back in early 2016 we spent a night camping with our Batwa friends at the outskirts of Echuya forest. The highlight…