The Forest People

The camp is generally happy when it is time for a hunt. BaMbuti prepare themselves by singing songs and building a fire. A stick is pointed in the direction of the hut. Some people use Anjo, a paste found in antelope horns. It is considered magic and unlucky, and not many Pygmies practice this, though some families who use it, one in the story, in fact, do have good luck after using it.

Turnbull turns to the central point of the chapter, Cephu’s behavior in the camp. While the camp is preparing for a hunt one day, Turnbull notices how quiet it is. Quiet is a bad sign in a BaMbuti camp, especially when preparing for a hunt. Hunters need to be alert, not sullen or preoccupied.

Turnbull learns that Cephu has refused to give offerings to the molimo basket. This is rude and untraditional. Moreover, Cephu has made the unforgivable sin of referring to the main camp as “that camp over there.” Though he is blamed a lot and is often the butt of jokes, everyone still thinks of Cephu’s camp as a part of the main camp. For him to verbalize separation means he does not believe himself to be a part of the group. This troubles everyone greatly.

The camp continues to prepare for the hunt and builds the hunting fire. Turnbull describes the hunt as a social event, with even the women and children taking part. The women and children collect mushrooms and fruit as the hunt is taking place. In doing so, they drive the animals into to the nets of the men. When the group builds its fire, Cephu is nowhere to be found. When they find him, he has built his own fire. His excuse is that he took a wrong turn and could not find anyone, and so built his own fire. The men set off to hunt, still angry at Cephu’s slight. When animals are killed, the women come along and place the dead animals in their baskets. The meat is then brought back to the camp and divided among the families. Turnbull mentions how children imitate dying animals. They also pluck the feathers off birds and let the birds die slowly.

During the hunt, Cephu is unlucky and makes a lot of noise. He complains that the women are deliberately driving the animals away from his nets. He is so loud that others say the hunt will not be a good one. Turnbull returns while the hunt is still going on and finds people are arguing over Cephu’s loudness and bad judgment. Kenge attacks Cephu’s behavior and calls him an animal — a big insult to the BaMbuti. When the men return, Manyalibo calls everyone to the kumamolimo and says that Cephu has disgraced them all. Cephu comes and is treated coldly by the others. Youths always give up their seats to those older than them, but Cephu is not given a seat. He is considered an animal, like the villagers, and animals deserve to sit on the ground. Cephu is angered by the ill treatment.

Ekianga and Manyalibo explain how Cephu has made the hunt bad. First, he refused to contribute to the molimo basket. Cephu tries saying that the molimo is none of his business, and that Balekimito is not his mother. The mention of Balekimito’s name drives everyone into a frenzy as the dead are not to be mentioned by name. This is a sure sign to everyone that Cephu is being rude and crude. His denial that she was his mother also means that he is distancing himself from the main group. It is revealed that Cephu placed his net in front of all the other nets to steal the catch before the others caught it. He almost made it work but was caught red-handed. Also, Cephu attempts to say that he is a chief of his family, or camp. Pygmies have no chiefs or leaders, only the villagers do, and so Cephu is acting like a villager, not a BaMbuti. The camp becomes increasingly angry with Cephu. They decide that, since he wants to act as if he is not part of the group, and as he steals food, and does not share food, he will not be a part of the group, and he is told to leave.

Cephu realizes his mistake, however, as his family is too small to hunt on its own. He needs the support of the large group. Cephu eventually apologizes and agrees to give back all the food. His hut and the huts of his family are raided and the meat is taken. Cephu cries, feeling slighted, while the others laugh at him. Eventually, Masisi takes some food to Cephu, who is still heard crying at night. Cephu eventually returns to the kumamolimo and participates again in the molimo festivities. He sings, and his crimes are forgiven.

Turnbull explains what he calls the “simple, effective” law of the Pygmies. In stealing from the BaMbuti and disgracing them, Cephu has committed one of the worst crimes. His punishment is humiliation. He is refused a seat by a child and called an animal, slights that are major for BaMbuti. Cephu is ignored for a few days and effectively put into his place. After his punishment, he is reintegrated into society. Turnbull illustrates how, with no formal law or governing body, Cephu’s punishment is carried out effectively by the group despite having no formal implementation.

Turnbull continues his assessment of the BaMbuti. They have no judge or court system; they have no leadership, such as chiefs. The BaMbuti settle disputes and other problems as they arise, dealing with them according to the severity of the offense. Turnbull mentions several types of punishment. The first deals with supernatural retribution. The next is meted out by the molimo — Masalito’s punishment is an example of this. He spoke out against the molimo and was punished by the molimo. With the third type of punishment, crimes, such as theft, are dealt with by “sound thrashings,” as Turnbull calls them. The entire village can partake in this, or at least anyone who feels slighted by the accused. The fourth type of punishment deals with far less serious offenses, and involves litigation by the parties involved, or else is settled with a fistfight.

Turnbull gives an example of supernatural retribution. A youth, Kelemoke, commits incest, the greatest shame among the Pygmies. Kelemoke attempts to find shelter from his pursuers but is turned out of every hut he tries to hide in. Masisi tells the youth to take refuge in the forest, and he flees there before he can be caught. The men argue about hunting him down and bringing him to justice, with those who favor him saying that he will die in the forest. His punishment is to remain in the forest, as no one BaMbuti can survive alone. He will die there either from starvation or leprosy. Kenge thinks it is more a crime to get caught in the act, saying that everyone knew Kelemoke was sleeping with his cousin. After a few days pass, however, Kelemoke returns with the hunters, as if he has been out hunting. Someone gives him food, and like that, his crimes are forgiven. Turnbull mentions that Kelemoke is now married with children.

Turnbull mentions that contempt and ridicule most disturb Pygmies. For example, a fight takes place between Aberi and Masalito. Aberi is known to be aggressive and ugly, while Masalito is quiet and likes peace. One day, Aberi is asleep when Masalito visits him. Aberi’s wife, Tamasa, gives Masalito tobacco to smoke. When he hands the pipe back to her, she dumps the tobacco onto the ground. This action is viewed as a slight and a waste. Masalito tries to make the situation better by asking Tamasa for one of the tobacco reeds. Instead, she takes an old reed from the garbage and gives it to him. Masalito is so angered that he calls Tamasa a bad name, and she begins crying. When Aberi wakes up, Masalito hits his brother. He goes out to the village and begins telling everyone about how cruelly he has been treated. Though most everyone is on his side, Masalito makes the mistake of making people take sides. This is a crime as it makes the camp divisive, and a divisive camp cannot be a successful one. Due to this large crime, the molimo visits Masalito and destroys his hut. This act shows everyone that Masalito is in the wrong, despite the earlier wrongs by Aberi. Shortly after, he and his brother are back to being great friends.

Turnbull relates several other tales of conflict that are dealt with by the camp coming together to put an end to the arguments and strife. These include Kenge being caught sleeping with a distant relative, and Ekianga and Amabosu arguing about Ekianga sleeping with his pregnant wife, which is looked down upon, until Old Sau is brought in to keep the peace. Turnbull notes that a noisy camp is a hungry camp. This means that the Pygmies do everything in their power to keep the peace. Punishments are dealt out to ensure peace is restored, and often regardless of right or wrong. Cooperation is used to bring about peace, and this includes all members of the camp. There are no judges or chiefs because no one BaMbuti wants to be responsible for such a burden, but also because the community settles disputes as everyone’s life and livelihood is at stake.