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In the deepest part of the vast African continent, there was once a unique and mysterious tribe of dwarfs, the Pygmies. They are scattered in the rich, rain-rich tropics, inhabiting lush rainforests and living a primitive life in isolation.
The first explorers to enter this realm bravely revealed the mysteries of the Pygmies to the world, allowing the outside world to glimpse this unique tribe of dwarves.
If you're lucky enough to come across a group of diminutive dwarfs in the vast African bush, dressed in fresh grass skirts and covered with leaves, there's no doubt that they're the legendary Pygmies.
However, this living environment, which is like a fairyland on earth, has suffered fierce impacts and serious threats from the outside world. The first influx of tourists and colonists not only brought with them the goods and customs of the advanced civilized world, but also the savage destruction of the Pygmy homeland.
Even more tragically, some Pygmies were even imprisoned in zoos as exhibits or sold into slavery. The most tragic event occurred in 1994 during the Rwandan civil war, when nearly 9,000 innocent Pygmy compatriots were slaughtered.
Although the Pygmies are small in stature, they stand out for their unique physical characteristics. With an average height of less than 1.4 meters, they are short and sturdy, but they are no different from normal human body proportions and do not fall into the category of dwarfism that we are familiar with.
Most strikingly, Pygmies reach physiological maturity by the age of eight, after which they cease to grow and develop, and once they cross this age threshold, they go straight into adulthood.
In the concept of the Pygmy people, 8 years old is already equivalent to 18 years old in modern people, and they will begin to be enthusiastic about marrying wives and children, starting families at the age of 12 to 13, and even some individuals will enter the marriage hall immediately after physiological maturity, and inherit family genes through prenatal education.
Sadly, however, the average life expectancy of a Pygmy male is only a short 35 years.
Where do these remarkable physical traits come from? After deep research and detailed analysis by scientists, it was finally discovered that it was due to a strange mutation in a specific gene of the Pygmies! It is this mutation that prevents growth hormone from being released normally, making it impossible for them to carry out the normal process of physical growth and development like we ordinary humans.
On the flip side, however, the bizarre mutation in this gene is also a key factor in their ability to resist disease, which is undoubtedly their survival advantage in the rainforest where disease is rampant.
Judging from the cruel law of survival of the fittest in nature, the Pygmies have successfully shaped a physique that perfectly fits the local rainforest environment with this unique genetic variation.
Their diminutive stature has become a powerful assistant to survive in the jungle, allowing them to move freely through the woods, chasing prey like butterflies.
Revered as the "Children of the Forest", the Pygmies have an endless attachment and love for the lush rainforest that they depend on for their livelihood. For them, the rainforest is not only a shelter for survival, but also their eternal home, and deep in the jungle is the whole world they live in.
The abundant flora and fauna provide a full range of living needs for the Pygmies.
For the Pygmies, hunting is not just an instinctive act to satisfy their survival needs, but also a vivid demonstration of their unique hunting wisdom. They are good at understanding the habits of animals and waiting for the best time to make a move.
In the woods, the brave pygmy hunter would often cleverly set up a huge snare between the two trees to lure the beast into this elaborate trap.
Despite their small stature, the brave and fearless pygmy hunters tend to use their wits to achieve victory when it comes to catching large prey. They wield homemade wooden spears with an anesthetic at the tip of which they could easily capture at the slightest negligence on the part of the beast.
The rainforest is full of unknown dangers, but these small hunters who move as fast as they fly are never intimidated, and they are as leisurely as elves in the dense forest.
As children of nature, the Pygmy people have great respect for the rainforest on which they depend, and regard it as a holy realm that cannot be touched. However, whenever the invaders brutally cut down trees and trampled on the environment, the Pygmy people became enraged and resolutely defended their homes, mercilessly turning away unwelcome visitors.
For them, the rainforest is not only a place of life, but also an indelible home, where they prefer to live in seclusion rather than be too entangled and distracted by the complexity of the outside world.
Sadly, all of this happened in the sixties of the 19th century, when a group of intrepid explorers first discovered the whereabouts of the Pygmies, thus breaking their long-isolate way of life.
Once this mysterious tribe of dwarfs became known, it immediately attracted worldwide attention, with a flood of tourists and travelers eager to see the Pygmies in person.
First-time visitors bring modern goods such as colorful clothes and daily necessities to the Pygmies, giving them a glimpse of the outside world.
For a time, the Pygmies were full of curiosity and enthusiasm for these strange and novel objects, and they were even more eager to share their unique wisdom of life. However, this innocent curiosity and enthusiasm quickly turned into greed, and over time, the true colors of the outsiders were revealed.
Some of the unfortunate pygmies are lured to distant zoos and reduced to exhibits for human beings to "showcase biodiversity"; To make matters worse, some people have even been illegally sold into slavery and subjected to inhuman torture.
The most harrowing tragedy occurred in 1994 during the Rwandan civil war, when nearly 9,000 innocent Pygmy compatriots were mercilessly slaughtered. Faced with the brutal murder of their loved ones before their eyes, the surviving pygmies were devastated and fearful were deeply imprinted in their hearts.
Moreover, in many other parts of Africa, Pygmies are often subjected to violence and extreme discrimination. Even the police turned a blind eye to this, not to mention the local residents who believed in witchcraft, who regarded the pygmies as mascots or deformities, with unfounded hostility and hatred towards them.
The demeaning connotation of the word "short" and the degree of harm to people are too prominent.
In the beautiful land of Cameroon, the pygmies who live here prefer to live in their familiar forests to escape the harm and discrimination they may encounter rather than set foot in towns full of unknowns and risks.
They live cautiously with fear and vigilance.
Whenever a stranger approaches, they take immediate action and quickly flee the scene, lest a historical tragedy happen again.
As their homeland continues to be destroyed, so do the threats and harm of outsiders, making it more difficult for the Pygmies to survive, and the entire population was even on the verge of extinction at one point.
In Cameroon, the local population turned a blind eye to the violence of the Pygmies, even the police, and allowed these vulnerable and unarmed people to be harmed and abused.
The Pygmies are always in a state of extreme panic and uneasiness, fearing that they will once again be oppressed and slaughtered.
In recent years, the population of their group has been gradually declining, and they are facing a serious threat of total extinction. This is undoubtedly a ruthless natural elimination, and the weak pygmies are destined to gradually decline in this contest with the outside world.
Whenever a foreigner approached, they fled for fear of repeating their enslavement and torture. Although the depths of the rainforest, their homeland, are no longer as peaceful as they once were, they can at least be protected from outside interference and harm, and maintain the last living space.
Thankfully, however, some African governments have begun to recognize the importance of the Pygmies' precious cultural traditions, and have begun to develop supportive policies to protect and pass on the unique cultural heritage of this unique people.
Only by giving them the strength to defend their rights and interests can pygmies be able to live and develop freely in a peaceful environment.