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The Osani Circle
Game
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“When people see this image, it draws their attention. When they read what it’s about, they fall in love.”
– a buyer’s perspective |
Pygmy kids begin the Osani game by sitting in a circle, feet touching,
all connected. Each child in turn names a round object like the
sun (oi), the moon (tiba), a star (bibi) an eye (ue) and then
goes on to name a figurative expression of “round”
like the circle of the family, togetherness, a baby in the womb,
or the cycle of the moon. As players fail to come up with a term
that is “circular” they are eliminated from the game.
Eventually, only one remains. Tradition has it that this player
will live a long and prosperous life.
This description is printed on the Osani
Poster and the back of the Osani
greeting cards.
The
Story
Belgian adventurer, naturalist, and art collector Jean-Pierre
Hallet was born in 1927, son of the Belgian painter Andre
Hallet who lived in the Congo. At six years of age, Jean-Pierre
left his Pygmy friends to attend school in Europe. (By that
time, he was already the height of an average adult native).
He retuned at age 21, 6’5”, with a degree from the Sorbonne
in Agronomy and Sociology.
Throughout his life Jean-Pierre spent
lots of time with the Pygmies and spoke 17 African dialects.
Over decades he made it his mission to save the endangered
Efe Pygmies of the Ituri Forest of Zaire, providing seeds,
tools, medicine and farming methods that led to a reversal
of a century-long population decline.
This Osani photograph was taken by Hallet many years ago --
probably during the 60’s. It’s the only shot of this children’s
game that he took; I fell in love with this image the first
time I saw it.
In 1974 Jean-Pierre began The Pygmy Fund with the mission of saving the Efe Pygmies from extinction and preserving their way of life with self-reliance and dignity. His persistence and dedication led to a Nobel Peace Prize nomination.
After 25 years of friendship I called
Jean-Pierre to acquire the Osani exclusive rights, with the
hope of making this wonderful image more accessible. My call
came on the very day he was diagnosed with terminal leukemia.
It is with great sadness I must report that Jean-Pierre Hallet
passed away only 90 days later (January 2004). He was truly
larger than life in every respect – a remarkable man.
To read more about Jean-Pierre Hallet’s
adventurous life, please see www.pygmyfund.org.
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