The Batwa pygmies are a small marginalised group of people that shared the lush green vegetation surroundings of Bwindi forest with the mountain gorillas. Batwa Filming In Uganda
The Batwa people also locally known as the “keepers of the forest” are the most vulnerable, marginalized, voiceless and endangered group of people found in southwestern Uganda. The Batwa people previously hunter-gatherers survived by hunting small game using arrows or nets, gathering plants & fruit in the rainforests of Present-day Bwindi Forest until Conservation pushed them out of their home in 1992 when Bwindi Impenetrable Forest was gazetted a National Park and also declared a World Heritage Site to protect the then last remaining mountain gorillas only numbering 350 individuals.
This saw the Batwa Pygmies get evicted from their original home – Bwindi forest. There was never any kind of compensation done. However, a kind-hearted couple – Dr Scott and wife Carol Kellermann turned this all-around in 2001 when they decided to create global awareness of the plight of the marginalised Batwa pygmies in Uganda. Scott & Carol purchased land and set up programs, schools, a hospital(Bwindi Hospital), water and several other sanitation projects to help preserve the remaining few Batwa People.
Batwa Development Program a project set up by the Kellerman is presently being managed by the Batwa people themselves with help from volunteers and donors from all over the world. It is supported by the Kellermann Foundation, a US-based nonprofit organization that continues to support their well-being.
Filming the Batwa might seem ethical not the right thing to do, however, it is one of the best way to get the world to learn about them and the challenges they undergo.
Related: A guide to ethical Filming of tribes accross Africa.
Best Places to Film Batwa in Uganda
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Bwindi Forest National Park
Bwindi Forest is arguably the best place to film Batwa in Uganda. Although filming the Batwa currently can only occur outside the actual Bwindi Forest, they can be readily found across all four Batwa Filming locations Of Bwindi; Buhoma, Rushaga, Ruhija, and Nkuringo regions. of all four Batwa filming locations, we recommend Filming the Batwa of Buhoma Region; Besides Buhoma is more accessible (you can fly from Entebbe to nearby Kihihi Airstrip which is only 40 km/ 25mi) its the perfect place for film crew interested in seeing and filming the works of the Kellermann foundation in transforming the devastated lives of the marginalised Batwa Pygmies.
Related: Filming the Batwa of Buhoma Region.
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Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Mgahinga National Park might be the best place to film Batwa for film crew arriving through Kigali. The park is only 4-hours from Kigali International Airport. If you are arriving via Entebbe, there two ways to get to Mgahinga National Park; driving ±10hours or Flying from either Kajjansi or Entebbe Airport.
Related: Filming the Batwa of mgahinga.
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Echuya Forest
Echuya Forest which is located approximately 468km / 290mi a journey that could last ±9 hours from Kampala along the Kabale Kisoro highway is one of the places to film the Batwa Pygmies in Uganda. Although logistically expensive to film in Echuya, the experience of filming in this remote forest reserve is unique; the flora is very lush and undisturbed by human activity, Echuya is an off-beat destination meaning not many tourist or Film crew visit it thus making it ideal for a private and crowd-free filming destination. The Batwa Pygmies found in the Echuya Forest are believed to have migrated from the Ituri Forest of the Democratic Republic of Congo in search of wild animals to hunt as food, hence the name Kisoro, literally meaning “the area occupied by wild animals”. The Batwa Pygmies in Echuya Forest live in small huts mainly made from sticks and grass.
Related: Batwa Filming in Echuya Forest
Requirements for filming the Batwa in Uganda
Primarily every crew member needs to apply for and secure a Media card popularly known as Press accreditation from the Uganda Media Council – Realm Africa Safaris™ can assist you with securing Uganda Media Press cards in 2 – 3 working days.
Press Accreditation Fees in Uganda:
- a fee of US$175 per person is paid for a period not exceeding 30 days of the journalist’s stay.
- a fee of US$225 per person is paid for a period beyond 30 days up to six months of stay.
- a fee of US$325 per person is paid for a period of two years.
Location Permits to Film Batwa onsite (at a location of your choice)
Permits and permission to film the Batwa in Uganda will be secured from the local Batwa management committees at the various Batwa Filming Locations. For instance, for the crew to film the Batwa in Buhoma region of the Greater Bwindi Forest and want to film at the Kellermann establishment, permission is granted by the Kellermann Foundation Management. However, should you want to film some scenes inside the actual Bwindi Forest, then permission ought to be sought from Uganda Wildlife Authority(UWA)
Related: Requirements for Filming Inside Bwindi Forest National Park.
