Tutsi people: where the tallest people live on Earth

An ordinary European, who is among the representatives of the African Tutsi tribe, will feel like a dwarf, because the average height of local men is almost 2 meters, and women are not much behind them. We offer a trip to Central Africa, where the tallest people on the planet live.

The Tutsi people, which number about 2-2.5 million people, live on the territory of several Central African states: Rwanda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and some neighboring countries.

The Tutsi ancestors who came to Central Africa from the territory of Ethiopia and Sudan in the 15th century were engaged in cattle breeding. Later they began to mix with the larger Hutu ethnic group, adopting their farming skills and language. Gradually, a confusion of the two peoples occurred, as evidenced by their genetic proximity. But cattle breeding is still considered the preferred occupation for the Tutsi, and ransom for the bride is also measured by the number of cattle transferred to the family.

The Tutsis speak two closely related languages of the Bantu group - Rundi and Round. In addition to their native language, many Tutsis speak French, which is the official language of Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Most modern Tutsis profess Catholicism, although among the Tutsis living in villages, traditional beliefs are still strong. This people has a very rich folklore, they know many tales, sayings and legends. The traditional craft, which Tutsi is fluent in, is the weaving of various products from dry straw and reeds. Tutsis are made from improvised plant material baskets, boxes and furniture.

A distinctive feature of the Tutsi people is their high growth, long legs and narrow elongated face. The average height of women Tutsis is 175 centimeters, and men - 193 centimeters, although it is not uncommon among Tutsis and people with a height of more than 2 meters. Researchers suggest that one of the factors that influenced the high growth of Tutsi was their habitat in the semi-desert climate of the savannah and the traditional pastoralism, which involves significant daily trekking. This is also indicated by the fact that other tribes live in this region of Africa, representatives of which are distinguished by higher growth in comparison with other peoples of the world. These are Dinka, Masai, Samburu, Luo and other peoples traditionally inhabiting East and Central Africa.

Recent decades have been very difficult for the Tutsi people. Despite the centuries-old residence in the neighborhood of the Hutu people, the abundance of mixed marriages and a common language, an ethnic conflict broke out between these tribes. But these are the realities of post-colonial Africa: hundreds of thousands of Tutsis were victims of conflict, many were forced to leave their habitats. One can only hope that soon peace will reign in this long-suffering region and the Tutsis will again drive their numerous herds of cows with graceful horns across the expanses of the savannah.