Mbuti is the designation of the northeastern pygmy peoples in central africa. Of the african pygmies they are the shortest, measuring under 4ft 6 or 137 cm on average. Their home is the Ituri forest in the Ituri province of the northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. They are excellent hunter-gatherers and perfectly at home in the dense rainforests unlike their Bantu and Sudanic counterparts who live in grave fear of it. Records of the Ancient Egyptians place the Mbuti’s ancestors in a similar range as today albeit far greater in antiquity. The ancestors of the Mbuti were thought to have a special relationship with the Egyptian gods (particularly Bes) and they would be used as dancers in court. Owning to their sacred status they could even rise to high positions in Egyptian society. The Mbuti attached themselves to later groups of migrating Bantu and Central Sudanic speakers as they settled the edges of the forests. These relationships ranged from simple symbiotic trade of forest produce for iron tools and other finished goods, to a despised caste of slaves to Bantu overlords, to respected ritual specialists whose goodwill decided the legitimacy of kings.
The most important deity of the Mbuti was the forest. Some called him Tore, others called called him Arebati or Khonvoum. Whatever his name, he was the most benevolent force in the world of the Mbuti.
Tropes from Mbuti mythology include:
- Animorphism: Pa Geregere could turn himself into the wonder dog Girimiso.
- Born from Plants: Geregere was born from a shrub.
- Cosmic Keystone: Geregere’s immortality is what keeps the end of the world from happening.
- Creating Life Is Awesome: Khonvoum was lonely and bored. There was nothing to do but smoke all day. So he gathered nkula nuts and had a crocodile pull his canoe onto a great expanse of water. He rolled the nuts in his hands and blew on them, giving them an identity as he cast each onto land. When Khonvoum returned to land, there was a thriving village of humans waiting for him.
- Creating Life Is Unforeseen: Ame-Uri the chameleon heard rustling from a Ti’i tree and chopped it with his axe (the crescent moon). Water gushed forth, followed by the first man Mupa and his wife Otu. Their son was the culture hero Magidi.
- The Discovery of Fire: In the early days, chimpanzees were once like humans. They had villages, used fire, and grew bananas. An Mbuti would often visit them and was received warmly as a guest. One day, the pygmy arrived in a strange tailed costume made of bark cloth. The adult chimpanzees were out working so the young chimps welcomed the odd stranger. The pygmy sat by the fire and ate bananas with them until the young chimpanzees warned him his tail could catch fire. The pygmy paid no mind and enjoyed himself until the tail of the suit caught fire. In a feigned panic he jumped around, shrieked, and danced like crazy to the entertainment of the little chimps. But then he dashed into the bush. The adults chimpanzees returned and learned the human had stolen fire from them without payment. They were so frustrated they gave up on village life and lived in the jungle as wild beasts.
- The god Muri-Muri was relaxing in a swing made of vines when an Efe pygmy stole the fire his mother Matu was warming herself with. Muri-Muri swung down and recovered the fire before Matu froze. This happened again before the hero Doru gave it a shot. Muri-Muri couldn’t catch Doru as the latter was too quick and had great magical powers. Because of this, Matu died. In a rage Muri-Muri declared that all humans become mortal as punishment. Doru knew he messed up badly and gave the rest of mankind fire as compensation.
- Divine Date: Evadu was a powerful pygmy who climbed a vine up to the sky realm of the god Epilipili. There he met Epilipili’s daughter Mengoro who he made love with and impregnated. They tried to keep their affair secret and send Evadu back to earth. He was impressed by his new son Aparofandza but decided against bringing him along.
- On the journey back, Evadu met a group of heavenly maidens and fell in love with one of their number. She was Endzimane, daughter of the rains. She kept him hidden from her camp until he went hunting with her brother. Endzimane’s mother demanded to see the stranger, but he only revealed an arm. After slaying a great many elephants, Endzimane’s camp applauded Evadu, and he married Endzimane. They went to earth and had many children.
- Divorce Is Temporary: Aparofandza’s wife Emengoro wouldn’t serve him kisobi roots. Disappointed, he withdrew to the heavens. She followed him up there and gazed upon his works, then they reconciled, returning to earth.
- Improbable Weapon User: Khonvoum was said to wield a bow and arrow made up of two snakes.
- "Just So" Story: Mungu the creator tasked the first humans with bringing him some game. The tall people tried their best, but caught nothing. The Mbuti effortlessly caught a bush pig, but greedily ate it in one sitting instead of presenting the catch to Mungu. So Mungu declared the Mbuti would live in the forest while the tall people would live in the villages. But Mungu still loves the Mbuti, so he gave them plenty of good things to eat in the jungle while the tall people have to toil for their living.
- Love-Obstructing Parents: Mamelife fell in love with a girl whose family hated him. They insulted his flute playing, cut his bowstring before he hunted, and one of them transformed into a buffalo to attack him. The wounded Mamelife met a crippled stranger and washed his face for him. In gratitude, the stranger gave him an invisible bowstring. The next day, he played the flute better than anyone, and his arrow kills the buffalo shapeshifter instantly. The buffalo was the totem of the girl’s family, so they all fell dead. Mamelife took his new bride with him, but stopped to revive the nasty people despite their cruelty.
- Mix-and-Match Critters: Oas were half snake and half dog.
- Not Blood Siblings: Magidi once climbed the Ti’i tree to escape from a war. Nearby lived a girl named Otu with her parents. Otu wanted water, so her father cut the Ti’i tree and Magidi flowed with it, marrying Otu. Gbara the lightning god wanted Otu for himself and claimed her as his wife. But he refused to consummate his marriage to her and instead lived as surrogate brother & sister. Arebati thought this was inappropriate, so he demanded Gbara have sex with Otu. When Gbara said no, Arebati made Otu ovulate and sent Magidi (who is her son in some versions) to impregnate her. Their son was a healthy boy. So Gbara decided to have sex with Otu and their first child was called Mupe. Eventually, Otu died and Arebati asked Gbara to return to heaven. So Gbara and his children (the stars) did.
