Previous Year Question
Which of the following pairs is/are NOT correctly matched?
Tribe | Habitat |
1. Bushman | Kalahari Desert |
2. Eskimo | Northern Canada |
3. Pygmy | Congo Basin |
4. Masai | West Africa |
Select the correct answer from the code given below:
Only 1, 2 and 3
Only 4
Only 3 and 4
Only 1
Correct Answer: B
Detailed Solution
Bushman–Kalahari Desert is treated as correctly matched in the examination context. “Bushman” is an older term used in geographical literature; San is the more appropriate modern term. San communities have traditionally been associated with the Kalahari regions of Botswana, Namibia and South Africa.
Eskimo–Northern Canada is also correct in conventional geography. “Eskimo” is an older broad term; in current Canadian official usage, Inuit is preferred. The traditional Inuit homeland, Inuit Nunangat, includes Nunavut, northern Quebec, northern Labrador and Arctic parts of the Northwest Territories.
Pygmy–Congo Basin is also treated as correct in the context of the question. “Pygmy” is an older umbrella term for several distinct Indigenous peoples of the Central African rainforests, including groups such as the Mbuti, Baka and Aka. Many of these communities are associated with the tropical forests of the Congo Basin.
Masai–West Africa is incorrect. The Maasai are a pastoral community associated mainly with Kenya and Tanzania in East Africa. UNESCO material likewise places their present-day territories in Kenya and Tanzania. Therefore, matching them with West Africa is incorrect.