DARKNESS

The BaAka huts in the South of the Central African Republic are reduced to the basic shape of a dome. Women and men build them together in a short space of time from branches and leaves that they find locally. The BaAka, who originally led a nomadic life, used to build their huts in the shade of the rainforest; today they settle on its edges. They adapt their building style to that of the neighboring Bantu population when they move close to villages and combine rectangular huts with traditional buildings, which are becoming rarer. To hunt game, the BaAka continue to erect the dome-shaped huts in the forest. Darkness still plays an important role in their culture. Social life takes place at night when they eat around small fires in front of their huts as a family.