wet on Nostr: … [The pygmies possess a unique skill that no one else has mastered — they build ...

… [The pygmies possess a unique skill that no one else has mastered — they build suspension bridges out of vines to cross wide rivers. While narrow rivers can be waded through, crossing large ones is dangerous because of crocodiles. To solve this, the pygmies construct bridges using only vines and trees on either side of the river.

The process is incredibly risky. First, a vine is tied to a tree on one bank. A man grabs hold of the vine, and the group swings him back and forth until he gathers enough momentum to leap across the river and catch hold of a tree on the opposite side. If he misses, the vine snaps back, and he risks being slammed into the tree trunk, potentially fatally. Despite the danger, the pygmies are highly skilled at this task. Once the first vine is secure, additional vines are strung across until a sturdy hanging bridge is completed.

One day, an American filmmaker wanted to capture this incredible process on film. He approached a pygmy and offered a generous payment in exchange for building a bridge. However, the pygmy declined, saying:
“I don’t need anything from you. You already gave me a knife — I have the knife. You gave me a pot — I have the pot. You gave me a chisel — it’s very good, thank you. But I need nothing more. Why should I risk my life?”
The American tried to explain the concept of “spare” or “extra,” but the pygmy didn’t understand.
“Spare? What do you mean? I don’t understand your words, foolish white man.”

Eventually, the filmmaker discovered that the pygmy wanted to get married but needed a bride price to do so. Among the pygmies, women are highly valued, and marriage requires both payment and effort to win a bride. The American promised to pay the bride price if the pygmy would build the bridge. The man agreed, completed the bridge, and earned his wife.

This story illustrates that concepts like “savings” or “future planning” are foreign to the pygmies. They live entirely in the present, unconcerned with the past before their own birth or with what lies ahead. Their way of life is sustained by a symbiotic relationship with the neighboring Bantu people, allowing them to thrive in their traditional environment without losing their unique cultural identity.]