Efe

Efe, also spelled Efé or Eféi, is the designation for a forest-dwelling hunter-gatherer group in the Ituri region of the northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. They are one of several groups often categorized as Mbuti by outsiders, though the Efe identify themselves as a distinct people tied to the Ituri Forest.

Historically, the Efe live in small, mobile bands that move with the forest’s resources. Their subsistence relies on hunting with bows and arrows, trapping, fishing, and gathering wild plants, fruits, tubers, honey, and other forest products. They typically maintain reciprocal exchanges with neighboring agricultural communities to obtain salt, tools, metal goods, and cultivated foods.

The Efe language is spoken within the community and forms part of the Congo Basin rainforest linguistic area. Social life tends to be relatively egalitarian, with decisions often made through consensus and social roles shaped by age and gender. Cultural expression emphasizes sharing, cooperative child-rearing, and musical performance; singing and rhythmic practices are prominent in social and ceremonial contexts.

In recent decades, the Efe have faced pressures from deforestation, commercial logging, mining, and regional conflict, leading to displacement and changes in traditional land use. Efforts to preserve language and cultural practices continue amid these environmental and social challenges.