Baka Pygmies, the Turning-point [2013]

"The pygmies traditionally lived in the forest. They were mobile, semi-nomadic and relatively far from the tracks while farmers had chosen to develop their villages along the tracks. Then because of the attraction of the tracks, the pygmies finally arrived along the road too and their numbers increased. So their habitat finally became structured and developed. Moangue-Le Bosquet, which interests us because of the large population, is also interesting as regards cultural evolution. We're in a town! There's a school, a hospital, shops... So tomorrow's way of life is already starting here."
Alain Froment – Doctor of Medicine, Anthropologist - IRD Director of Research.

"It is agreed that growth is similar in all modern populations of humans. It must be remembered that growth is a change in dimensions until the adult size is attained. If the size differs between populations, this means that the processes responsible for this size are also different.
This difference in size and difference in growth reveal very rich and substantial human biological diversity.
In the case of the Pygmies, we assume that small size is an adaptation to their environment, to the forest. But what interests us is how adult size becomes established.
Six years of data gathering means that we can now sketch a growth curve for the Baka. And its immediate usefulness—seen very clearly this year—is proof that all the data that we are collecting are applicable."
Fernando Ramirez Rozzi – Anthropologist, Biologist – CNRS Director of Research.
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http://maget.maget.free.fr/A-K....ALO/Baka-cueillette.