8/10/2019 Mammals en Los Mbuti
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Hystrix n.s.) l 1989): 1-83
THE MAMMALS IN THE ZOOLOGICAL CULTURE OF THEMBUTI PYGMIES IN
NORTH-EASTERN ZAIRE (*)
I MAMMIFERI NELLA CULTURA ZOOLOGICA DEI PIGMEIMBUTI NELLO ZAIRE
NORD-ORIENTALE (*)
GIUSEPPEM. CARPANETO (**) FRANCESCOP. GERM1 ***)
ABSTRACT
This work deals with the mammals and their role in the
zoological culture of the Mbu-ti Pygmies, hunter-gathcrcrs of the
Ituri Forest of Zaire. The ethnozoological information
was gathered in parallel to faunistic investigation. A checklist
of the mammals inhabiting
the Ituri Forest was compiled on the basis of both carefully
selected literature and directfield research. Field work was
conducted in many study sites (pygmy camps and agricultu-
ralists settlements) throughout the region. Several Mbuti
hunters of each band were inter-
viewed in order to ensure reliability to the information they
were giving. Direct observationof their hunting activities, feeding
habits and relations with animals were also carried out.
For each mammalian species the exact words of the Pygmies were
translated into English.
From their own culture, the Pygmies gave a great deal of
information about habits, food,interspecific relations,
reproduction and behaviour of 59 species of mammals. Details
we-realso given by the Mbuti hunters on their own taboos, food
restrictions, medicine and vil-lagers witchcraft, concerning
mammals, as well as the utilization of animal parts for making
objects and tools. Vernacular names of the mammals are reported
in six local languages,
as well as the names ofplants which, according to the Mbuti, are
used by the animals as
food. The hunting techniques of the Ituri Pygmies are summarized
together with quantita-
tive data from 60 net casts and4bow
-hunting days.
Key words: Ethnozoology, Mammals, Pygmies, Tropical Forests,
Zaire.
RIASSUNTO
Nel presente lavoro vengono studiati i mammiferi nella cultura
zoologica dei Pigmci
Mbuti, cacciatori-raccoglitori della Foresta dellIturi in Zaire.
Gli autori hanno condotto
parallelamente sia lindagine etnozoologica che ricerche
faunistiche dibase sui mammife-
(*) Ricerche eseguite con un contributo M.P.I. (60%).(**)
Dipartimento di Biologia Animale e dellUomo Universiti di Roma
LaSapienza
Vialc dcllUniversita 32 - 00185 Roma.
(** *) Associazionc Tcriologica Romana, Casclla Postalc 7249 -
00100Roma.
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