Tropicultura (Jan 2001)
Plantes sauvages à usages artisanaux chez les Pygmées "Mbuti" de la forêt de l'Ituri (République Démocratique du Congo)
Abstract
Artisanal Use of Plants by "Mbuti" Pygmies in Ituri Forest in Democratic Republic of Congo. Ethnobotanical investigations have been made with the Pygmy "Mbuti" communities living in the Ituri forest in the north-east of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Forty-three forestry species used in different artisanal practices were identified. They belong to 40 genera and 22 familles, especially Caesalpinaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Arecaceae, Rubiaceae, Apocynaceae and Marantaceae. Most of the trees, lianas and shrubs are used to supply essentially wood (51.0 %), bark (14.9 %), fruits and leaves (12.8 % for each) and sap (8.5 %) for making of various materials. These investigations also show the attachment of "Mbuti" people to the forestry resources regardless of animal breeding and agriculture.
