Mbuti is the collective name for several small sized tribes of Godwanna (some claim more than 100) that share a similar appearance and beliefs, but are otherwise not connected to each other, sometimes even speaking completely different languages.
The Mbuti resemble small humanoids, with large, pointed ears, large noses, and black-greenish skin. They are generally shy and cunning, but become aggresive in large numbers. Their tribes live in deep wooded areas and are ususally at war with each other.
They are strongly possessive, gathering anything unusual they can find. Anything shinny or interestingly shaped that seems like it won't deterriorate with time can be used as currency in their society. This behaviour has brought many Mbuti tribes to the borders of the human settlements in Godwanna were many of them strive to learn the languages of humans. The humans were in the past willing to pay them as scouts and guides towards tribes of possible slaves. Since the abolishment of slavery those Mbuti have turned to thievery and many settlements have attempted to eliminate them from their vicinity. They have otherwise only minimal contact with humans, as they are useless as slaves since they only survive for short intervals in captivity. Many of their tribes live deep in jungles and have never encountered another race.
Beliefs - Head-shrinking[]
The Mbuti believe that within each sentient being exist three distinct spirits:
- Wakani - Lives in the heart, is the spirit of life and reason and leaves the body at the time of death. It lives in the World of the Dead after the individual's death.
- Arutam - It lives in the genitals. The word mean "vision" or "sense" and signifies the vigilant spirit that protects the body from violent death. It dies with the bodies.
- Muisak - The vengeful spirit. It lives in the head and surfaces only when the arutam dies.
The Mbuti believe that every sentient being carries those three spirits, yet the notion is probably true only for their own race.
To stop the last spirit from manifesting and hunting them down the Mbuti shrink and collect the heads of those they murdered. According to their legend a Mbuti that fails to shrink a head will invariably be attacked during the next night by the vengeful Muisak spirit of his fallen foe.
The process of creating a shrunken head begins with removing the skull from the head. An incision is made on the back of the neck and all the skin and flesh is removed from the cranium. Red seeds are placed underneath the eyelids and the eyelids are sewn shut. The mouth is held together with three palm pins. Fat from the flesh of the head is removed. It is here that a wooden ball is placed in order to keep form. The flesh is then boiled in water that has been steeped with a number of herbs. It is then dried with hot rocks and sand, while molding it to retain its human feature. The skin is then rubbed down with charcoal ash. Decorative beads are added to the head.
It is believed that coating the skin in ash keeps the muisak, or avenging soul, from seeping out.