BOFI PYGMENS

Renowned throughout the world for their traditional dances, some 25 000 Pygmies Bofi live on the site of the Serve-Bodingué Park. In partnership with Ecofac, the inhabitants of the village of Sambo Goto, or those of the camps around Poutem, organize some highly addictive dance shows, including the bakoutou dance that celebrates the return of hunting, or even the dance useless, in other words "the turtle". An activity that is all the more interesting and respectful as spectators move to Pygmies'encampment, not the reverse. In addition to valuing their culture and in particular their troubling polyphonic songs, this activity also allows them to earn enough money to limit the "illegal" or "disproportionate" poaching of the forest, according to local officials. Note that storytelling evenings are organized in the villages. A moment of inspiration, this activity is particularly recommended for children: around the fire, two or three wise men tell stories of their ancestors or local legends. The most exciting activity is probably the net hunt. A good opportunity to discover the personality of Pygmy women: They laugh with happiness and make fun of the strange tourists who come to take the hunters in picture. Men, on the other hand, remain very reserved. In order to quickly penetrate the great forest, the Pygmies must be invited in their car, which is approaching twelve without problems. Women, a baby in the house, full of entrain, sing to kill-head during the journey. But don't rush too fast: not accustomed to the rolling edge of cars and confined spaces, Pygmies easily have the wrong transport. Coming to the edge of the dense forest in which Pygmies hunt daily, they are part of their steps to penetrate. They put their nets in various places, hoping to trap the game. If the first attempts are unsuccessful, they chase the bad spirits through a incantatory dance, on the nets, at the foot of a tree they incisent the bark to pour a color sap of blood. The hunt then resumes, with the favor of the spirits. To get rid of it, they cut away a liane from crystal clear water. Then you go back to the camp with a porcupine or blue céphalophe, i. e. a tiny and beautiful antelope.