In the early 1900s, the poorly armed Mpiemo people fled adversaries who were attacking their villages with firearms. Their flight along a river brought them to their current location where they settled in a densely forested area in western Central African Republic (CAR). There are also some Mpiemo villages in Cameroon and farther south in Congo.
Today, Mpiemo people support themselves by farming, hunting, trapping and sporadic logging expeditions. Everyone grows manioc, the staple food; they eat both roots and leaves of this tuber. Other crops include peanuts, corn, squash, various greens, tobacco, coffee, taro, yams and bananas.
Modern commercial logging ventures bring both helpful and detrimental side effects. Because the companies employ large numbers of people, the local economy receives a much-needed but temporary boost. In its wake, logging ventures disrupt the forests' ecosystems, making hunting and trapping much less productive. Overhunting to satisfy the loggers need for meat has made game scarce. Many logging families no longer have gardens to turn back to for sustenance, adding to the disruption.
Poverty gnaws at the fabric of Mpiemo society. It impacts the quality of life, health and developmental opportunities for families. Some have abandoned their farms to pursue diamond mining with its illusive lure of instant wealth.
Scripture Prayers for the Mbimu in Cameroon.
| Profile Source: Anonymous |
