The Batwa people of Central Africa and the Great Lakes are the original ancient dwellers of the forests. Together with the Kalahari San people of southern Africa, the Twa people indigenous to the Great Lakes and to Central Africa are regarded as the earliest Homo sapiens human ancestor. Their origin story takes back to about 200,000 years ago.The earliest records of pygmies were made by the ancient Egyptians well over 4000 years ago. They described the short stature Batwa people living near the “Mountains of the Moon” extolling their abilities as dancers of the Gods and story tellers. Homer and Aristotle also made mention of them.
The Twa frequently made migrations to ancient Kemet (Egypt), as the kings and nobles held them in high regard. Many Twa achieved elite status in Kemet. They inspired the short stature ancient Egyptian deities: Bes and Ptah.
Bes
Bes was tremendously popular in ancient Egypt. He was worshipped in both royal and ordinary homes, where he was associated with many of the good things in life: sex, drinking, music, and merriment. He also had an important protective function, and was often invoked during childbirth (hence his appearance in the divine birth house at Dendera).
Ptah
Ptah was regarded as the craftsman deity and creator God in ancient Kemet, a form of Amen-Ra. The attributes of Father Ptah as a craftsman and creator god were possibly inspired by the ancient origin of the Twa and their natural dexterity, skills and craftsmanship. Imhotep, the short stature vizier and first architect and physician in Kemet was said to be the son of Ptah.
In ancient times, the Batwa were believed to have supernatural/magical powers and to have a special relation to the gods. In the Nile Valley, they participated in religious rituals where they performed as 'god's dancers.' According to ancient records, Pharaoh Pepy II (c. 2284 - 2184 BC) was immensely grateful to one of his high officials (Harkuf) for bringing a "Dwarf" to Kemet from "the spirit land," the name with which the ancient Egyptians named the lands in its southern territories.
The Twa/Khoisan were also known as elves, midgets, or pygmy (a slur on small people of African Descent). Their history predates the Greco Roman Judeo timeline history of Adam and Eve by thousands of years. According to researchers, the Twa traveled and settled over the Earth many thousands of years ago, spreading to Northern Ireland, Germany, the rest of Europe, and the Asian continent. They are recorded to be responsible for the Druid societies and the legends of the Leprechaun. One of the cultural influences the Druids/Twa had was the fact that they were known for their hair, which many grew into locks that looked like snakes.
Records say the hairstyle was replicated by the Queens and Kings of ancient Kemet (Egypt/Nubia) with the snake image worn as a Menes head claw.
The skills and craftsmanship of the Twa the earliest mound builders were thought to be magical, especially on foreign lands.These days, many Twa have been driven out of the forest due to agriculture. They make a livelihood as labourers, hunters, farm guards, potters, sculptors, and other forms of craftsmanship.In Africa, the Batwa are mostly found in the Great Lakes region: Congo, Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi
