The Mail’s spontaneous encounter with the smallest tribe in the world, which lives on the edge of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Uganda and counts mountain gorillas among its neighbours.

We drive.

Robert steers the Jeep down a bright orange, dusty track.

To our left is a steep slope with tree roots entangled in the ground. To our right is a steep slope.

“Don’t look down,” he said, laughing.

As we finally leave the winding mountain pass of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, we are greeted with familiar scenes of people selling local fresh produce along the roadside. However, when we get to the other side of town, things take an unexpected turn.

“The pygmies are our neighbors,” says Robert, our driver, who stopped here in his village on his way back to the lodge.

“They live here on the edge of the forest.”

I look out into a dark clearing and see several people resting against a pile of corn sacks and two children watching with curious eyes from a nearby tree house.

The Pygmies, known here in Uganda as Batwa, are natives of this mountainous region known for its gorilla trekking.

Anthropologists believe the hunter-gatherer tribe lived “in harmony” with wildlife in the depths of the forest for 60,000 years, earning them the reputation of “guardians,” according to the Bwindi Forest National Park website.

However, the Batwa were forced from their homes when the forest was declared a national park in 1991, partly due to government efforts to protect the endangered gorilla population.

These people live hidden in this remote corner of southwest Uganda and are now conservation refugees.

The Batwa are indigenous people of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, famous for its gorilla trekking

The Batwa traditionally build tree houses (above) to protect their children from predators

I think about the complexity of this situation and look again at the sacks of corn against which an older man leans.

“The Batwa hunted small animals for meat,” says Robert, “when they lived deep in the forest. And they built treehouses like this to keep their children high and protected from predators looking for food. Meat, yes, but also fish, honey, fruit, berries.

“The men used spears or bows and arrows to catch wild boars, monkeys and birds, and the women looked for fruit and honey.” Now they rely on food donations.”

He explains that it is the smallest tribe in the world, with adults growing on average no taller than 150cm.

Britannica agrees.

We enter the clearing and Robert introduces me to the older man who is leaning against the maize sacks and translating between English and Rutwa.

“He says it’s their house now,” says Robert.

A little uneasy, I follow Robert’s finger as it points to some straw huts and then to the children in the tree house made of grass and branches. “Shall we go?” I suggest that I don’t want to force what I think is going to be a tour on this family.

We follow another bend in the road, which reveals a view of steps on the terrace and the dense forest below.

Laura’s encounter with the Batwa takes place as she is driven back to her lodge (above)

Guided by park rangers, Laura meets mountain gorillas in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, some of which she captures in this photo

The Batwa were forced out of their forests to protect the endangered mountain gorilla population. “It’s the gorillas that brought me to this magical corner of the world, but I think of Batwa,” writes Laura

Anthropologists believe that the Batwa tribe flourished “in harmony” with nature for 60,000 years in the depths of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

Only a few hours ago we descended the slopes, which, I discovered, had become impenetrable not only because of their steepness, but also because of the endless thorn bushes.

Why? Of course, to meet the mountain gorillas accompanied by park rangers.

Now that we are standing here on the mountain top, the park looks like a soothing layer of vegetation. And I think for a moment of the forgotten tribe of Uganda.

“It all used to belong to the Batwa,” says Robert. “Don’t forget her.”

The Bwindi Impenetrable Forest has become impenetrable, not only because of its steepness, but also because of its endless thorn bushes, writes Laura, as this photo shows

Laura takes this photo from the back of the jeep while returning from her gorilla trek

Laura in the impenetrable forest of Bwindi

According to Britannica, Pygmies, including the Batwa, are believed to have been the first people to inhabit this stretch of forest, which covers not only parts of Uganda, but also Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda.

As more people moved into the area and cut down trees to make way for crops and livestock, the Batwa confined themselves to smaller areas and continued their way of life.

However, since they never sought to own the land they lived on, they were not entitled to compensation upon their eviction.

According to a 2023 report by the International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs, a global human rights organization that “promotes and defends the rights of indigenous peoples,” about 6,700 Batwa now live in southwestern Uganda.

It’s the gorillas that brought me to this magical corner of the world, but I think of Batwa. They shared the forest for 60,000 years.

“Don’t forget it,” I reminded myself.