Pygmy people facts for kids
Aka Pygmies on the Congo Basin in 2014
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| Central Africa, Oceania, Southeast Asia |
Pygmy is a word used to describe several groups of people. These groups are known for their unusually short average height. Experts in human studies say that a group is called "Pygmy" if the average height of adult men is less than 150 centimetres (4.9 ft) (about 4 feet 11 inches).
Sometimes, the word "Pygmy" can be seen as an insult. This is because it has been used in ways that are not respectful.
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What Does the Name "Pygmy" Mean?
The name "Pygmy" comes from an old Greek word, πυγμαίος (pygmaios). This word came from another Greek word, πυγμή. That word meant the length between a person's elbow and their knuckles. The Latin word Pygmaeus (which means "Pygmies" when there's more than one) came from this old Greek word.
The word was first used in old Greek mythology stories. A famous poet named Homer wrote about a tribe called Pygmies. He said they lived in places like India and Ethiopia.
Why Are Pygmy People Short?
The short height of Pygmy people is something they get from their parents. This is called being hereditary. Scientists think that Pygmy people might make less vitamin D in their skin. This is because many of them live in rainforests, where there isn't much sunlight (ultraviolet light). Vitamin D helps our bodies take in calcium. Calcium is very important for strong bones to grow. Not having enough calcium can lead to smaller bones and bodies.
Other ideas about why these people are shorter include:
- There might be less food available in the rainforest.
- The soil in the rainforest might not have much calcium. This means the food grown there also has less calcium.
- It might be easier for smaller people to move around in thick jungles.
- It could be a way their bodies have adapted to the heat and humidity of the rainforest.
Some studies show that the genes for growth hormone receptor and growth hormone are less common in Pygmy people. These genes are very important for humans to grow tall.
Where Do Pygmy People Live in Africa?
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Pygmy people can be found in many countries in Africa. These include Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Angola, Botswana, Namibia, and Zambia. Most of these groups are partly hunter-gatherers. This means they get food from nature, like hunting and gathering plants. They also trade with nearby farmers. From farmers, they get crops and tools. There are about 250,000 to 600,000 Pygmy people living in the Congo rainforest.
Main Pygmy Groups
There are several Pygmy groups living in Africa. The three most well-known groups are the Mbenga, Mbuti, and Twa groups. Each of these large groups includes several smaller tribes. Each tribe often has its own unique language.
The Mbenga people, sometimes called the Ba-Mbenga, live in the western Congo basin. The Mbenga group includes the Aka people. The Aka speak the Aka language. They live in the Central African Republic and the Republic of Congo. The M-Benzélé people (also called "western Aka") and the Ba-Sese people ("eastern Aka") are also related to them.
Other Mbenga Pygmies are the Baka people. They live in Cameroon, Gabon, and the Republic of Congo. They speak three very similar languages: Baka language, Ganzi language, and Gundi language. Another group of Mbenga Pygmies is the Gyele people. The Gyele live in Cameroon and speak the Gyele language.
The Mbuti people, sometimes called the Bambuti, live in the Ituri rainforest. This is in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They include the Efé people, Asua people, and the Kango people. The Efé speak the Efé language. The Asua speak the Asoa language. The Kango speak the Kango language.
The Twa people, or Ba-Twa, live in Rwanda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Uganda. The Twa speak Kirundi and Kinyarwanda.
Images for kids
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Map showing where Pygmies and their languages are found, according to Bahuchet (2006). The southern Twa are not shown.
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An Ati woman from the Philippines.
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