Burundi is made up of three ethnic groups, Hutu, Tutsi and Batwa. The Batwa are the indigenous people of Burundi and the smallest ethnic group in Burundi. It is estimated that the Batwa make up about 1% of the total population. Batwa consider the forest their home. But after centuries of deforestation and forest management, the Batwa gradually abandoned their forests. When forests became pastures for colonists' animals and fields were taken by colonists, many Batwa came to rely on pottery, which replaced forests and hunting as symbols of Batwa identity. During the first half of the 20th century, Burundi's new process of industrialization, the country's gradual opening to international trade, and decreased access to clay products for Batwa led to a significant weakening of the pottery trade.This has once again disrupted the main economic activities of the Batwa, making them the most vulnerable population group in Burundi. The Batwa are excluded from many provisions of Burundi's constitution in which they are not mentioned as part of Burundi's ethnic depopulation. Discrimination is a top concern for the Batwa. This discrimination manifest in three main forms: negative stereotyping, segregation and denial of rights. Discrimination is more serious in rural areas than in urban areas, mainly among local people, including local officials. Negative stereotypes could be, for example, that people refuse to sit next to a Mutwa because they are dirty, or refuse to marry a Mutwa because they are considered incestuous and immoral, or that Batwa do not cultivate because they are lazy. The traditional system of bashingantahe is a way of conferring social status on the Batwa, thus eliminating discrimination against the Batwa by non-Batwa.