Relations with Outside World through Traditional Rituals of the Babongo Pygmies in Southern Gabon

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  • MATSUURA Naoki
    Japan Society for the Promotion of Science/Graduate School of Asian and African Area Studies, Kyoto University

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  • ガボン南部バボンゴ・ピグミーの伝統儀礼を通じた外部世界との関係
  • ガボン ナンブ バボンゴ ピグミー ノ デントウ ギレイ オ ツウジタ ガイブ セカイ ト ノ カンケイ

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Abstract

As in the case of many African countries, traditional rituals for healing, solving family, business, and political problems are used by many people in the Gabonese Republic. In particular, central African forest foragers (known as Pygmies) are thought to be special ritual practitioners because of their great knowledge of medical plants and supernatural power.<br>In this article, I will focus on the ritual practices of the Babongo Pygmies in southern Gabon and demonstrate that: (1) the Babongo, although living in marginal villages, have formed relationships with the people in town including political authorities through their traditional rituals, (2) The traditional rituals provide much money for the Babongo who have little opportunity for monetary income.<br>Previous studies reported that because Pygmies are in marginal villages, they cannot contact the outside world without going through their neighboring farmers and they cannot participate in the modern state system. However, the Babongo have used their marginal status to their advantage by establishing traditional rituals that are attractive to outsiders. In this way, the Babongo in southern Gabon have managed to secure contacts with outside world without the aid of farmers, and have social status as ritual practitioners.

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