The Forest People

In the 1950s, anthropologist Colin Turnbull lived among the pygmies of the Congo river for three years – this is his account of life among the tribespeople.

Adventurous as a young man, at the time he moved to the Congo Turnbull already had several years’ experience of Africa and its rural cultures. Seeking to shed insight on the pygmy peoples for a wider audience, he sought a home in one of the villages and introduced himself to the locals. Quickly becoming popular in the locality for his courtesy and respectful manners, Turnbull kept a diary and took photographs of the locals, noting their customs and dynamics as a tribal community.

The interplay between males and females of the tribe are detailed, with rivalries and conflicts between the younger pygmies. Marriage and the duties therein define the tribe, with complex customs existing between existing and prospective couples. As the tribes live as hunter gatherers, it is necessary for a number of men to be skilled in gathering meat, fruits and vegetables, together with honeycomb – a substance prized by the pygmies for its deliciousness.

Turnbull does not bog down his narrative in academic jargon or complex nuance; rather we find an informal, at times even casual, account of life in a forest tribe. We receive a sense of the personalities and priorities accorded; this readability undoubtedly helps us better comprehend the pygmies’ lives.