The Exchange of Forest Products (Irvingia nuts) between the Aka Hunter-gatherers and the Cultivators in Northeastern Congo.

Abstract

The Aka hunter-gatherers in northeastem Congo exchange various forest products with neighboring cultivators. While meat comprises an important exchange item in other forest areas of cennal Africa, it is rarely exchanged in the northeastem Congo region because of the spread of guns among the cultivators. Imingia nuts comprise one of the most important exchange items, instead. Imingia nuts are exchanged either in the form of nuts or the processed cake. The goods exchanged for the nuts are mainly agricultural products, whereas that for processed cake are manufactured goods such as pots and clothes. The nuts circulate within the village, and processed cake is traded to the area outside the village sphere as an important element of local and regional economies. The implications of these differences for the economic life of both the Aka and the cultivator are discussed.