The Pygmy mimic

Stan Frankland

doi:10.1017/S0001972016000371

The Pygmy mimic

Stan Frankland

Social Anthropology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

The Pygmy mimic is an extremely persistent colonial trope that continues to inform contemporary anthropological understandings of Africa’s Pygmy populations. Mimicry is now understood as being a key component of the social reproduction of a distinct Pygmy way of being. In this paper I examine the historical accounts of mimicry and try to bring a historical perspective to bear on contemporary ethnographic accounts of its practice. I also set my own research among the Sua Pygmies of Uganda against these other examples. The intention behind this is to acknowledge the common humanity of Africa’s Pygmies and to create new grounds of comparison - such as a shared history of oppression - that are not dependent on a unique foraging mode of thought.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	552-570
Number of pages	19
Journal	Africa
Volume	86
Issue number	3
Early online date	7 Jul 2016
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1017/S0001972016000371
Publication status	Published - Aug 2016

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Frankland_2016_Africa_PygmyMimic_AAM
© International African Institute 2016. This work is made available online in accordance with the publisher’s policies. This is the author created, accepted version manuscript following peer review and may differ slightly from the final published version. The final published version of this work is available at http://www.eupjournals.com/journal/afr
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Stan Frankland
- mcf1st-andrews.acuk
- Social Anthropology - Lecturer
Person: Academic

Cite this

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abstract = "The Pygmy mimic is an extremely persistent colonial trope that continues to inform contemporary anthropological understandings of Africa{\textquoteright}s Pygmy populations. Mimicry is now understood as being a key component of the social reproduction of a distinct Pygmy way of being. In this paper I examine the historical accounts of mimicry and try to bring a historical perspective to bear on contemporary ethnographic accounts of its practice. I also set my own research among the Sua Pygmies of Uganda against these other examples. The intention behind this is to acknowledge the common humanity of Africa{\textquoteright}s Pygmies and to create new grounds of comparison - such as a shared history of oppression - that are not dependent on a unique foraging mode of thought.",

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note = "The author thanks the Universities of St Andrews and London, the Economic and Social Research Council, the Horniman and Swan Funds, and also the Carnegie Trust.",

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The Pygmy mimic

Abstract

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Stan Frankland

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