Batwa Pygmies

Consider this your introduction to the Batwa. 

Feisty, funny, and tiny. And essentially the reason we came to Uganda.

We are studying environmental law here and they are a pygmy people who were displaced out of Bwindi National Park in the 90's to preserve the park-- especially the mountain gorilla. They were hunters and gatherers in the forest for maybe thousands of years and were forced into agriculture. Most of the ones we've talked to wish they could go back and live in the forest. More posts on that later. 

We have interviewed more than 30 Batwa people since we've been here and have come to really love them. They live humble lives in shelters made of clay and sticks. They mostly try to grow their own food, and most of the ones we've talked to are very hungry. 

They are a passionate people. They invited us to a funeral last week (that deserves its own post), and directly after the lady was buried, a heated village dispute ensued over a new hut that was going to be built. And when I say heated, I mean like every single adult present was shouting in their native tongue. 

Meet some of the Batwa:

I literally feel like a giant.