In Congo, Africa, lives a tribe known as the Mbuti. They are pygmies (dwarf-like people) living in a lush rainforest known as Ituri. The Ituri Forest existed before the last ice age. The world of the rainforest is one of sunlight purged beneath a tall, expansive mantle of trees, where an abysmal peace reigns with the punctuated cries of the many birds and animals that share the forest with the Mbuti. Constant, peaceful warmth, abundant rainfall, moist air and rich soil nourish the abundance of vegetation that grows. The abundance of vegetation benefits animals, birds and insects which will soon become a nutritional source of the Mbuti diet. The culture of the Mbuti stems from the fact that they depend on the forest for their survival. They believe that the forest is the center of their universe and that everything good or bad must pass through it. The forest is a sacred refuge for the tribe. They have a culture of their own which can seem mysterious to those who are not accustomed to their unique way of life (Tanner, p. 626-627, 1982). They have certain beliefs and customs that have resisted change for thousands of years, but under human influence this is subject to change. This research paper discusses kinship, social organization, and social change and beliefs. The Mbuti have inhabited the Ituri forest for thousands of years. Studies suggest that the Mbuti may be the first inhabitants of Africa. The Egyptians were the first to document the existence of "pygmy" society in 2500 BC. They called the Mbuti “the people of the trees,” because of their ability to maneuver through trees. They saw the Mbuti as a group of singing and dancing people enjoying the gift of life. They were also written ...... middle of paper ......ology. Retrieved from https://content.ashford.edu Okotie, H. (2008). THERE is no food at home: gender masculinity and human security in Nigeria. Ife Psychologia, par. 1-6. Retrieved from http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=9&did=1637151781&SrchMode=1&sid=5&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1296891225&clientId=74379Peterson, J.T. (June 1978). Hunter-gatherer/farmer exchange. American Anthropologist, 80, 335-351. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/676857Role of the show-off hypothesis in the social decisions studied. (March 8, 2006). UPI Space Daily. Retrieved from http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=0&did=999019941&SrchMode=1&sid=2&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1296889842&clientId=74379Suroviak, C. (1996). The Mbuti of Zaire. Retrieved 1996 from http://www.ucc.uconn.edu/~epsadm03/mbuti.html