Baka People
...re shorter than that. Babies that are born can fit in the palm of the hand. They are not midgets, but it is unclear why they are shorter than other people of the world. The foods they eat are somewhat different from the foods we eat. Whereas we like to just go get a hamburger, they just chop into a termite mound and eat away. They are hunters and gatherers, and we are drive-thru-ers. They also eat meats such as antelope. They eat roots, yams, and wild mango whose kernels are processed to produce a delicious oil paste which is scarce in other forest foods and highly valued in the people’s diets. After the monsoon rains, the trees develop flowers. The honey season is important because this is a prized food. The Baka will climb over 120 feet up into the trees to get the honey. Caterpillars, mushrooms, and beetle larvae are used to add protein to their diets. In the United States, people destroy forests daily. This is not the way it is with the Baka people. They exist because of the rain forest so they value its wealth. Without the rain forests, there is no control on the environment or climate. The rain forest is a natural resource for foods, medicines, oils, perfumes, and chemicals. Baka people know which plants provide medicines and which are used for building materials. While most Americans stay out of the rain, the Baka people thrive on the three-month rainy season. This is the time when animals are most easily tracked. The Baka people k...