Anonymous asked: I'm sure someone has already asked this, but unfortunately I don't have time to check all the blogs :-). Can someone tell us the reason why Survival is still using the derogatory term "Pigmies" to descrice the Khoi San people of Africa? I understand that most people know and use this term, but we know its wrong (for decades now). It is akin to "Redskins" and other terms that we need to educate folks to avoid. Curious.
Good question. (Although, we never describe the Khoisan as Pygmies - they are an entirely different ethnic group!)
Although the term ‘Pygmy’ is considered pejorative in some forums, there is no single term to replace it. Lots of Pygmies prefer using the name of their ethnic group, but there are many of these (Aka, Efé, Baka, to name just a few) Some countries with Pygmy peoples do have an ‘umbrella’ word but, again, it is different for each country. ‘Pygmy’ is also the term most understood by the general public, and this is an essential consideration in spreading information about the fight for their survival and the battle for their lands.
Interestingly, a similar problem arises when referring to the Bushmen of southern Africa, who are a Khoisan people.
See here for more information.
