Customer Reviews

Baka: People of the Forest [VHS]

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have to disagree -- from an anthropological standpoint -- with the previous reviewer, who said "Pygmies" represent our last line to our first human ancestors. No one living today is a "fossil" or "remnant" of the first homo sapiens; every human group is an entirely modern product of interaction, interbreeding, and evolution, both cultural and social. No people lives (or likely lived) in isolation.

With that technical stuff out of the way, though, I completely agree that pygmies rock. Never having met them, I must rely on what I have seen and read of them, and it seems to me that they (in general -- there are several distinct groups) are a fun-loving, joyful people who live in a beautiful and (mostly) rich environment that they love.

This film was one of the best I've seen. It follows a portion of the day-to-day existence of a family of Baka -- and that's about all. Conversations are subtitled, and most of the interpretation is left up to the viewer. Denzel Washington narrates nicely, without sounding stuffy and without sounding amateur, and he is not talking all of the time, only to highlight events. Best of all, you never see the film crew or an anthropologist -- several times I "got lost," tricked into thinking I was following the Baka around myself!

I love the focus of the film around family life. So many precious, interesting, and ultimately hilarious things happen. I won't spoil the fun by repeating them, though. See it for yourself.

All in all, THE BAKA is an awesome video. I saw it in a college class on Africa, and it's for certain the best video I've ever seen in school.

the baka are among the last remnants of our most direct line to the very firest humans. their way of life is being destroyed by mining and logging interests in central africa and i hope that we do what we can to raise awareness of the fact that we are about to sever our taproot of humanity. how do we expect to survive without it?

The funny thing of this order was that after a lot of riggim and rowing the product was not what I wanted. It wasn't their fault it was mine...

I wanted the Rainforest piece done by National Geographic and narrated by Denzel Washington. Baka: People of the Rainforest. Thanks anyway!

Entertaining, informative look at the Baka, of Camaroon. A brilliant loving group of people on the verge of losing their homes due to deforestation. Enjoyable for kids and adults.