Anthropological study of resource-getting behaviors among hunter-gatherers in forest of tropical Africa

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K12611
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 04030:Cultural anthropology and folklore-related
• Research Institution: National Museum of Ethnology
• Principal Investigator: Peng Yujie 国立民族学博物館, 学術資源研究開発センター, プロジェクト研究員 (70791218)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 狩猟採集民 / 資源利用 / 社会関係 / 集団行動

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, I developed an anthropological interpretive model to explain the process of determining the behavior of hunter-gatherers in the ecological realm of the African rainforest region in terms of the relationship between ecology, society, and behavior. Specifically, I conducted (1) a survey of social relations based on interviews with individuals (Baka Pygmies) about their migration histories, and (2) a follow-up survey of key informants about their environmental perception. As a result, it was found that the difference in knowledge caused by the difference in experience and range of use of the natural environment within the living area of each individual. But it can be shared in various ways by group activities, and that it is possible to become common knowledge and perception within a certain range.

Free Research Field

文化人類学、アフリカ研究、狩猟採集民研究

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究には、カメルーンのバカ・ピグミーにみられる生態学的領域での諸活動を対象に、生業活動時の人々の行為を、とりわけ彼らの社会関係に留意して分析をした。こうして得た研究成果は、現代の狩猟採集民社会における資源獲得と社会制度との関係を、量的かつ質的民族誌データの収集と分析を通して、立体的かつ動的に解明した。また、可視化することを通して、文化実践の継承と変化は集団内と集団間における人々の相互作用を明らかにし、狩猟採集民社会の変容をモデル化にすることが可能になった。