Learning about Rainforests


PEOPLE OF THE RAINFOREST

We often overlook the millions of people that live in the rain forests.  Did you know that there are about 50,000,000 tribal people living in world's rainforests?  These people depend on the forests for their food and shelter.  As we cut more and more trees and destroy more and more of the forests, we are also killing people.  Many native tribes have been exterminated already because their governments failed to protect them from logging companies, the mining companies and the slash and burn farmers.

Here is some more information about three of the larger and more well-known tribes:
The Pygmies The Pygmies

This Pygmy woman is food outside her hut, with her baby cradled on her back. Mbuti and Baka Pygmies live in the rainforests of Central Africa.  Traditionally they live by hunting and gathering food.
The Huli The Huli

The Huli are one of the many tribes that live in the remote highland forests of Papua New Guniea.  They live by hunting, gathering plants and growing crops.  Men and women live seperately, in large group houses.  The men decorate their bodies with colored clay and wear elaborate headdresses for ceremonies. 
The Yanomami The Yanomami

One of the largest groups of Amerindian people in South America is the Yanomami.  Their village life is centered around the yano, or communal house.  The yano is a large, circular building constructed of vine and leaf thatch, which has a living space in the middle.  This picture shows Yanomami men eating a meal. 
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