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Analysis Of The Forest People By Colin Turnbull

Decent Essays

“Take a walk in my shoes,” is a very commonly known quote about not judging a person based on any one particular quality, or appearances. It means to walk in their ‘shoes’ to see what their life is really about. This could be defined as the simpler meaning of Ethnography. Ethnography, according to Merriam-Webster, means “the study and systematic recording of human cultures,” and the work produced from the research. When someone looks at certain cultures and religions, its easier to assume their lifestyles and harder to appreciate them. Hence, anthropologist take a walk in their life, and see how they breath, eat, laugh and live.
In a like manner, Colin Turnbull is an anthropologist who studied the native Pygmy culture who live in the Belgian Congo. Pygmy, or BaMbuti, as they are also called, resides in the Ituri Forest, in the northeast corner of Belgian Congo. Turnbull writes of his travels and adventures with the Pygmy in The Forest People. Turnbull helps his audience visualize and understand the respect, love, and tenderness that the people of BaMbuti feel towards their beloved forest, and also the importance of their Molino. They call themselves the “people of the forest” while also having a comfortable relationship with nearby villagers. Pygmy, live, breathe and fear the forest, with everything that they have and need coming from the said forest. They respect their environment and depend on it entirely for their navigations and understanding of life. And like our

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