BaMbuti Pygmies

The Bambuti are pygmy hunter-gatherers, and are one of the oldest indigenous people of the Congo region of Africa. The Bambuti are made up of bands which are small in size, from 15 to 60 people. The Bambuti population is 30,000 to 40,000 people total. There are four distinct cultures, within the Bambuti. The Efé, which speak the language of their neighboring Bantu tribe, the Sua, who speak the language of their neighboring Budu, the Mbuti, who speak the language of the neighboring Bila, and a small subgroup of the Aka who speak the language of the neighboring Mangbetu tribe. The majority of the Aka migrated to the western Congo basin thousands of years ago.The Bambuti culture is incomplete without music and dance.They are skilled musicians.Storytelling is a well-developed form of art,highly respected by all members of the society.The Bambuti practise a form of singing called the Yodeling.