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People

The people of the rainforest have learned how to use the plants and animals of the rainforest without harming it. They have taught us about many of the foods and medicines from the rainforest that we use today. Through thousands of years of living in the rainforest, rainforest people have adapted to the rainforest climate. They don't need to drink a lot of water because they get so much water in the foods they eat. Rainforest people sweat less than other people because the air is so full of moisture that sweating doesn't cool their bodies very well. Some of the groups of people that live in the rainforest are called pygmies. They are some of the shortest people on earth. They are only about 4 feet tall. They are hunter-gatherers, which means they hunt animals and gather fruits and other plants to eat. The men hunt using spears, arrows and nets. The women do the gathering. They do not always live in one place, but move to other areas of the rainforest when food supplies are low. The Mbuti are a pygmy tribe of honey gatherers. There is a bird called the Greater Honeyguide that flies to the bee hives and shows the Mbuti where the honey is. The honeyguides live on beeswax. The Mbuti live in the Ituri forest in northeastern Congo/Zaire. They build their homes of branches and leaves. They wear little clothing because it is always warm in the rainforest. They make their clothing from leaves and things they find in the rainforest, too. Their way of life is in danger because of the destruction of the rainforest that they live in. The government has tried to teach them how to farm, but the Mbuti don't want to change the way they live. What will happen to the Mbuti if the rainforest is completely cut down? More information about the Mbuti. ©Africa Focus.2000  The Ashanti are a group of people that live in Ghana in Western Africa. This is a man wearing kente cloth. Ashanti kings, queens, and important figures of state in Ghana have worn kente cloth for special occasions since the 12th century. Today, many people see kente cloth as an important symbol of African culture. Learn more about: Kente cloth Learn how to make an African loom. As in other parts of Africa, homes are made from whatever materials can be found in the forest. Thatch roofs are made of leaves and walls are made of branches that form a frame. The frame is then stuffed with mud to finish the wall. ©Africa Focus.2000 This is a picture of a musician in traditional dress in a Cameroon village. He is part of the court of the local ruler who is called the lamido. ©Africa Focus.2000 ©Africa Focus.2000 Learn more about Rainforest people Home | Africa Trip | Desert | Savanna | Rainforest | Links/Credits | Journal