Where the pygmies live?

The broad band of dense forests that cover the equatorial zone of Africa are scattered here and there by clearings where small tribes of pygmies live. The pygmies are the smallest people in the world and are descended from an ancient race that once inhabited Africa. Today the pygmies live much as they have always done for thousands of years and still have very primitive conditions. They are afraid of the white man and try to remain isolated from the rest of the world. Occasionally they visit Bantu villages on the edge of the forests to the animals they have caught for tools and arrowheads.

Many scientists believe the pygmies are descended from an ancient human stock that was once widespread throughout Africa. Pygmies are now confined to the forests but there is proof that at one time they loved over a wider region. For example, Homer once described the terrifying battle between dwarf men and cranes, and Herodotus said the pygmies lived in the Libyan desert and were driven south by other invading peoples. Aristotle, too, referred to pygmies as inhabitants of the marshy regions round the source of the river Nile.

There were pygmies at the court of the pharaohs of Egypt where they proved to be skilful dancers and jugglers. Egyptian records show that 4,500 years ago pygmies were inhabiting some of the areas they still occupy today. Apart from these people who are now reduced to living in very difficult conditions in the forests.

 

Picture Credit : Google

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