Pygmy, Baka in Gabon

Introduction / History

A large number of unreached Pygmies live in the tropical rain forests of Central Africa. They inhabit Cameroon and Gabon. They were driven out of the Central African Republic by logging companies that wanted to use their traditional land. Pygmies are the earliest known inhabitants of the Congo Basin. It is also reported that the Ituri Forest has been occupied by Pygmies for over four thousand years. The Pygmies who live there today call themselves Mbuti. The Mbuti includes such groups as the Efe, the Aka, and the Bayoka Pygmies. Bakoya Pygmies are also called Baka Pygmies.

What Are Their Lives Like?

Baka Pygmies are forest dwellers, with most relying on hunting and gathering for survival. Some may also farm in the middle of the forest. However, they will abandon them while the crops are growing to hunt and gather, since that is what they know best.

Baka Pygmies no longer inhabit the forest areas alone. Many groups of farmers have infiltrated the region and built villages there. The two peoples have developed an economic, mutual dependence, and live together peacefully. However, outsiders, be they poachers or loggers, have taken some of the resources the Baka Pygmies need for survival.

The Baka people live in an acephalous society, meaning there are no formal political leaders or hierarchies. This lack of centralized authority makes it challenging for them to integrate into the political structures of Gabon. Additionally, deforestation directly affects the Baka, as the forest is their home and source of livelihood.

Baka Pygmy men hunt deer, pigs, hippos and elephants. Some Pygmy groups use nets to hunt, while others use spears or bows and arrows. Usually, the only domestic animals they keep are hunting dogs. Forest resources, such as meat and honey, are traded to farmers for corn, salt, clothes and iron tools. While the men are hunting, the women are busy collecting wild fruits, roots, insects, lizards and shellfish. Women also do most of the fishing.

Pygmies live in nomadic bands that range in size from 20 to no more than 100 people. These bands wander across the hunting territories that are collectively owned by the whole group. Baka Pygmy villages are permanent, but campsites are used while the men are hunting. The villages consist of houses and cooking areas. They are usually free of weeds and trees, except for banana or coffee plants. Campsites, on the other hand, are located in the forest, so the sun does not always find them. A typical campsite is small and contains only about 20 to 35 people. They arrange their round huts in a circle. These huts are usually constructed with flexible poles set in the ground in a circular pattern. The poles are bent to where they come together at the top, then tied and covered with leaves. The Baka Pygmies use bark and leaves to cover the top of these poles.

A Baka Pygmy generally has only one wife, but polygyny does exist, especially among the Baka. A Pygmy man obtains a wife by giving a gift, or "bride price," to the girl's family.

The music of these forest dwellers differs considerably from the music of their neighbors. Although Baka Pygmies do not have many instruments, they do have drums, whistles and two-stringed bow-guitars. Their "singing" consists of yodeling, and most songs have only sounds rather than words. They do not often sing in unison, but rather one person sings or yodels at a time.

What Are Their Beliefs?

Baka Pygmies believe that a god named Tore created the world and is the supreme being. He is identified with the forest since everything is dependent on it. They only call upon Tore during times of crisis. He is usually summoned by a trumpet blast, which is supposed to imitate his voice. Some groups believe that after creating the first humans, Tore was no longer interested in the affairs of the world, and so he withdrew to the sky.

Baka Pygmies also believe that "forest spirits" influence the souls of the dead. The Efe, in particular, believe that after Pygmies die, their borupi, which means "rhythm" or "life," is carried away from the body by a fly. They believe the fly takes them to Tore.

The Baka worship a forest spirit known as Jengi (also called Djengui or Ejengi), who serves as the intermediary between the Supreme Being, Komba and the Baka people. The Baka view Jengi as a protective father or guardian, holding him in deep reverence as the sole means of connecting with Komba. They believe Jengi is omnipresent in the forest, granting him the power to punish wrongdoers within its boundaries. Ultimately, the Baka worship nature itself, seeing it as a manifestation of Komba, with Jengi merely residing within it.

For the Baka, death is seen as a misfortune and a symbol of spiritual imbalance. When a member of the tribe passes away, it is believed to signify disruption in the spiritual realm. In response, the community must pray to Jengi and circle the body, which is covered in debris, throughout the night. This ritual dance, known as the Mbouamboua, is performed as part of the death ceremonies. After the long night of dancing, the villagers leave the site, abandoning the corpse, and move away to avoid the curse they believe the death has brought upon them.

What Are Their Needs?

While the national government provides health and educational services for some Africans, Pygmies are not included. Medical supplies, as well as trained doctors and nurses, are needed to work among them. Educational facilities and teachers are also needed.

Their livelihood is in jeopardy from encroaching loggers and poachers. They depend on what they find in the forest; without it, they have nothing.

As the forest is increasingly encroached upon, Pygmy communities are spending more time in permanent settlements along roadsides, closer to farming populations. This shift exposes them to greater health risks, such as heightened contact with malaria-carrying mosquitoes and an increased burden of parasites due to overcrowding and inadequate sanitation. Additionally, infestations of chiggers (burrowing fleas) in the fingers and toes cause painful and debilitating infections.

Spiritual well-being also deteriorates, as these communities have less access to the forests where they traditionally perform nocturnal singing and dancing ceremonies that help maintain harmony between the forest and the people. As a result, social tensions rise, along with alcohol abuse and domestic violence, particularly against women.

Prayer Points

Ask God to raise up Christian teachers and medical teams to work among them.
Ask the Lord to call loving and dedicated workers to evangelize and disciple the Baka Pygmies.
Pray for the Holy Spirit to give the Baka Pygmies teachable and understanding hearts.
Ask the Lord to raise up churches that will plant more churches among the Baka Pygmies.
Pray for the Gabon government to apply the regulation of the logging industry, the establishment of forest protection programs, and the implementation of policies aimed at addressing human activities that contribute to deforestation, so that these tribes can continue to live.
Ask the Lord to guard their children from diseases and high mortality.

Text Source:   Joshua Project