The Mbuti Tribe of the Ituri Forest of Zaire are one of the best know tribes averaging under 4' 6'' in height. Their skin is much lighter than their close neighbors, the Bantu and Sudanic, and have a totally different blood type.

The Mbuti are nomadic hunters and form groups of 10 to 25 separate families. They live in the Tropical Rainforest where they are supplied with all they need. Shelter, food and water are all supplied in the Tropical Rainforest. The shelter they build is basically a large dome made with a frame of wood covered with leaves. Families will normally live in these temporary shelters for about one month before building another.

Their weapons range from the bows and arrows of a relative tribe, the Efe, to spears and nets. Normally the game differs to which area they live in.

Mbuti tribes have no chief or any specific person or persons to settle their disputes. They simply have discussions and work out their differences. They also celebrate important occasions with music, mime, and dance. Some of these occasions are birth, death, the maturity of boys and girls, and marriage.

Getting married with the Mbuti is basically a sister exchange. They have no believe in the after-life and the deceased are buried near his or her hut and then the hut is abandoned. The Mbuti do have good friendship with neighboring tribes and share a common language. No archeological evidence has been found as of yet of the history of this tribe but early records by the Egyptians show they were around 4,500 years ago.