Mbuti in their forest

Mbuti in their forest

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Mbuti Enemies and Allies

The Rebellion
The Simba Rebellion, 1964-1970, a more recent political upheaval in the Ituri, illustrates not only the flexibility of the Mbuti's interactions with outside groups, but also their vulnerability and limited influence over the political future of the region. The rebels entered the Ituri from the west along the roads built during the Belgian colonial period. At first they attempted to establish an alternative authority in the region. They met little resistance from within the forest, but they were poorly organized and government forces soon followed them. In the ensuing disorder, many of the Ituri's peoples were slaughtered.
The village people were most directly affected. They represented the established authority, and as agriculturalists had resources needed by hungry rebels and soldiers alike.
During the rebellion, the Mbuti sometimes fled with their villagers, helping them to survive in the forest or find their way across it. Other Mbuti associated themselves either with the rebels or with government soldiers. Villagers and Mbuti alike shifted their allegiances simply as a function of whoever commanded local authority. There appears to have been no ethnic or political continuity in this response. The Mbuti by the fact that they provided access to the forest and its resources, in particular meat and wild foods, were caught in a confusing political power play in which they had neither any stake nor any control. No doubt Mbuti continued to depend on cultivated foods and therefore allied themselves with the agricultural group they perceived to be dominant. Often, however, their skills in the forest were exploited to different ends. Groups of Mbuti were engaged by government soldiers to guide commandos to rebel strongholds which were themselves supported by other Mbuti groups. In the end, in late 1970, when the last Simba commander, Kasongo, was captured, he was executed with his Mbuti guide.
The rebellion was a major turning point in the history of the Ituri. Traditional political authority was disrupted. Populations were reduced or relocated, and the forest opened to new people. As old allegiances disintegrated, Mbuti forged ties with immigrants, meat traders and gold prospectors who moved into the forest after the rebellion.
- See more at: http://www.culturalsurvival.org/publications/cultural-survival-quarterly/democractic-republic-congo/mbuti-zaire#sthash.8cHoTJbI.dpuf
The Rebellion
The Simba Rebellion, 1964-1970, a more recent political upheaval in the Ituri, illustrates not only the flexibility of the Mbuti's interactions with outside groups, but also their vulnerability and limited influence over the political future of the region. The rebels entered the Ituri from the west along the roads built during the Belgian colonial period. At first they attempted to establish an alternative authority in the region. They met little resistance from within the forest, but they were poorly organized and government forces soon followed them. In the ensuing disorder, many of the Ituri's peoples were slaughtered.
The village people were most directly affected. They represented the established authority, and as agriculturalists had resources needed by hungry rebels and soldiers alike.
During the rebellion, the Mbuti sometimes fled with their villagers, helping them to survive in the forest or find their way across it. Other Mbuti associated themselves either with the rebels or with government soldiers. Villagers and Mbuti alike shifted their allegiances simply as a function of whoever commanded local authority. There appears to have been no ethnic or political continuity in this response. The Mbuti by the fact that they provided access to the forest and its resources, in particular meat and wild foods, were caught in a confusing political power play in which they had neither any stake nor any control. No doubt Mbuti continued to depend on cultivated foods and therefore allied themselves with the agricultural group they perceived to be dominant. Often, however, their skills in the forest were exploited to different ends. Groups of Mbuti were engaged by government soldiers to guide commandos to rebel strongholds which were themselves supported by other Mbuti groups. In the end, in late 1970, when the last Simba commander, Kasongo, was captured, he was executed with his Mbuti guide.
The rebellion was a major turning point in the history of the Ituri. Traditional political authority was disrupted. Populations were reduced or relocated, and the forest opened to new people. As old allegiances disintegrated, Mbuti forged ties with immigrants, meat traders and gold prospectors who moved into the forest after the rebellion.
- See more at: http://www.culturalsurvival.org/publications/cultural-survival-quarterly/democractic-republic-congo/mbuti-zaire#sthash.8cHoTJbI.dpuf
The Rebellion
The Simba Rebellion, 1964-1970, a more recent political upheaval in the Ituri, illustrates not only the flexibility of the Mbuti's interactions with outside groups, but also their vulnerability and limited influence over the political future of the region. The rebels entered the Ituri from the west along the roads built during the Belgian colonial period. At first they attempted to establish an alternative authority in the region. They met little resistance from within the forest, but they were poorly organized and government forces soon followed them. In the ensuing disorder, many of the Ituri's peoples were slaughtered.
The village people were most directly affected. They represented the established authority, and as agriculturalists had resources needed by hungry rebels and soldiers alike.
During the rebellion, the Mbuti sometimes fled with their villagers, helping them to survive in the forest or find their way across it. Other Mbuti associated themselves either with the rebels or with government soldiers. Villagers and Mbuti alike shifted their allegiances simply as a function of whoever commanded local authority. There appears to have been no ethnic or political continuity in this response. The Mbuti by the fact that they provided access to the forest and its resources, in particular meat and wild foods, were caught in a confusing political power play in which they had neither any stake nor any control. No doubt Mbuti continued to depend on cultivated foods and therefore allied themselves with the agricultural group they perceived to be dominant. Often, however, their skills in the forest were exploited to different ends. Groups of Mbuti were engaged by government soldiers to guide commandos to rebel strongholds which were themselves supported by other Mbuti groups. In the end, in late 1970, when the last Simba commander, Kasongo, was captured, he was executed with his Mbuti guide.
The rebellion was a major turning point in the history of the Ituri. Traditional political authority was disrupted. Populations were reduced or relocated, and the forest opened to new people. As old allegiances disintegrated, Mbuti forged ties with immigrants, meat traders and gold prospectors who moved into the forest after the rebellion.
- See more at: http://www.culturalsurvival.org/publications/cultural-survival-quarterly/democractic-republic-congo/mbuti-zaire#sthash.8cHoTJbI.dpuf
The Rebellion
The Simba Rebellion, 1964-1970, a more recent political upheaval in the Ituri, illustrates not only the flexibility of the Mbuti's interactions with outside groups, but also their vulnerability and limited influence over the political future of the region. The rebels entered the Ituri from the west along the roads built during the Belgian colonial period. At first they attempted to establish an alternative authority in the region. They met little resistance from within the forest, but they were poorly organized and government forces soon followed them. In the ensuing disorder, many of the Ituri's peoples were slaughtered.
The village people were most directly affected. They represented the established authority, and as agriculturalists had resources needed by hungry rebels and soldiers alike.
During the rebellion, the Mbuti sometimes fled with their villagers, helping them to survive in the forest or find their way across it. Other Mbuti associated themselves either with the rebels or with government soldiers. Villagers and Mbuti alike shifted their allegiances simply as a function of whoever commanded local authority. There appears to have been no ethnic or political continuity in this response. The Mbuti by the fact that they provided access to the forest and its resources, in particular meat and wild foods, were caught in a confusing political power play in which they had neither any stake nor any control. No doubt Mbuti continued to depend on cultivated foods and therefore allied themselves with the agricultural group they perceived to be dominant. Often, however, their skills in the forest were exploited to different ends. Groups of Mbuti were engaged by government soldiers to guide commandos to rebel strongholds which were themselves supported by other Mbuti groups. In the end, in late 1970, when the last Simba commander, Kasongo, was captured, he was executed with his Mbuti guide.
The rebellion was a major turning point in the history of the Ituri. Traditional political authority was disrupted. Populations were reduced or relocated, and the forest opened to new people. As old allegiances disintegrated, Mbuti forged ties with immigrants, meat traders and gold prospectors who moved into the forest after the rebellion.
- See more at: http://www.culturalsurvival.org/publications/cultural-survival-quarterly/democractic-republic-congo/mbuti-zaire#sthash.8cHoTJbI.dpuf
The Rebellion
The Simba Rebellion, 1964-1970, a more recent political upheaval in the Ituri, illustrates not only the flexibility of the Mbuti's interactions with outside groups, but also their vulnerability and limited influence over the political future of the region. The rebels entered the Ituri from the west along the roads built during the Belgian colonial period. At first they attempted to establish an alternative authority in the region. They met little resistance from within the forest, but they were poorly organized and government forces soon followed them. In the ensuing disorder, many of the Ituri's peoples were slaughtered.
The village people were most directly affected. They represented the established authority, and as agriculturalists had resources needed by hungry rebels and soldiers alike.
During the rebellion, the Mbuti sometimes fled with their villagers, helping them to survive in the forest or find their way across it. Other Mbuti associated themselves either with the rebels or with government soldiers. Villagers and Mbuti alike shifted their allegiances simply as a function of whoever commanded local authority. There appears to have been no ethnic or political continuity in this response. The Mbuti by the fact that they provided access to the forest and its resources, in particular meat and wild foods, were caught in a confusing political power play in which they had neither any stake nor any control. No doubt Mbuti continued to depend on cultivated foods and therefore allied themselves with the agricultural group they perceived to be dominant. Often, however, their skills in the forest were exploited to different ends. Groups of Mbuti were engaged by government soldiers to guide commandos to rebel strongholds which were themselves supported by other Mbuti groups. In the end, in late 1970, when the last Simba commander, Kasongo, was captured, he was executed with his Mbuti guide.
The rebellion was a major turning point in the history of the Ituri. Traditional political authority was disrupted. Populations were reduced or relocated, and the forest opened to new people. As old allegiances disintegrated, Mbuti forged ties with immigrants, meat traders and gold prospectors who moved into the forest after the rebellion.
- See more at: http://www.culturalsurvival.org/publications/cultural-survival-quarterly/democractic-republic-congo/mbuti-zaire#sthash.8cHoTJbI.dpuf
Mbuti Tribe
 

        The Simba Rebellion, 1964-1970, a more recent political upheaval in the Ituri, illustrates not only the flexibility of the Mbuti's interactions with outside groups, but also their vulnerability and limited influence over the political future of the region. The rebels entered the Ituri from the west along the roads built during the Belgian colonial period. At first they attempted to establish an alternative authority in the region. They met little resistance from within the forest, but they were poorly organized and government forces soon followed them. In the ensuing disorder, many of the Ituri's peoples were slaughtered.

      The village people were most directly affected. They represented the established authority, and as agriculturalists had resources needed by hungry rebels and soldiers alike.

       During the rebellion, the Mbuti sometimes fled with their villagers, helping them to survive in the forest or find their way across it. Other Mbuti associated themselves either with the rebels or with government soldiers. Villagers and Mbuti alike shifted their allegiances simply as a function of whoever commanded local authority. There appears to have been no ethnic or political continuity in this response. The Mbuti by the fact that they provided access to the forest and its resources, in particular meat and wild foods, were caught in a confusing political power play in which they had neither any stake nor any control. No doubt Mbuti continued to depend on cultivated foods and therefore allied themselves with the agricultural group they perceived to be dominant. Often, however, their skills in the forest were exploited to different ends. Groups of Mbuti were engaged by government soldiers to guide commandos to rebel strongholds which were themselves supported by other Mbuti groups. In the end, in late 1970, when the last Simba commander, Kasongo, was captured, he was executed with his Mbuti guide.

     The rebellion was a major turning point in the history of the Ituri. Traditional political authority was disrupted. Populations were reduced or relocated, and the forest opened to new people. As old allegiances disintegrated, Mbuti forged ties with immigrants, meat traders and gold prospectors who moved into the forest after the rebellion.

2 comments:

  1. Teresa. This is interesting, and you know you will need to fix your references, but I don't see your reflective post. That was part of this PA. Please, add it and feel free to delete this message. The Reflective Post should be here instead of my comment. Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  2. I find the fact that the Mbuti tribe was so involved with other tribal groups was very interesting. They had to guide the Ituri people through the forest and helped them survive during a major rebellion. From previous knowledge, this kind of reminded me of when the Pilgrim's came to America and the Native American tribes showed them the way of living and helped them survive. Even though by helping the tribe out they were caught up in a confusing power play and neither had any stake nor control they didn't even care they wanted to help the Ituri people.

    It is very interesting to see that such indigenous people have such characteristics of major countries like the United States. I never really thought about war and alliances on this level I really only thought about it from a larger view. I really found it to be interesting to find out about how tribes work just like large countries but on a smaller scale in the area of economics and politics.

    ReplyDelete