Coronavirus has headlined news bulletins for the past 3 months, with over 100, 000 infected people across the world.

In the latest development, the Rwandan government has taken precautions to keep the country free from the virus such as halting large gathering events, advising Rwandans to stop handshakes among others. But Rwandans have not yet adhered to the latter.

One can’t fail to notice people greeting each other, upon meeting, with a handshake with some even hugging or pecking.

In Rwanda, as in many parts of the world, greeting each other with a handshake is a norm.

The younger generation has mixed feelings about handshaking. Some consider it as an important sign of courtesy and respect.

"It’s a way of respecting somebody else. In our culture, if you don’t give someone a handshake, then it seems like you have disrespected them especially if they are older than you,” said Mercy Gatera, a high school graduate says.

Bonaventure Dukuzumuremyi, a student at the University of Rwanda, reiterated that shaking someone’s hand is a sign of nobility.

However, Eddy Tuyishime and Justine Dusenge, both students at the University of Rwanda, differ arguing that the gesture doesn’t represent anything big.

"We shake hands because we were taught when we were young,” argued Justine Dusenge as Tuyishime said: "It’s just a sign of checking on someone, I don’t really think it represents anything big actually.”

Handshake, a sign of peace

This way of greeting dates back to the 5th Century B.C in Greece. It was a symbol of peace mostly to indicate that neither person was carrying a weapon. For the Romans, it was more of an arm grab as a precaution to check for any knife hidden up one’s sleeve. It’s also said that the shaking gesture is associated with shaking loose any hidden weapons among the knights.

In the Rwandan culture, accompanying words give meaning to a handshake

No one knows how shaking hands became the norm in Rwanda but some historians say it has been there among Rwandans since the beginning of time.

"It is believed to have been there since the genesis of Rwanda and its people,” said Jean de Dieu Nsanzabera, author of "Intwari y’izahabu” and a historian.

The handshake doesn’t have a specific meaning in the Rwandan culture, nevertheless, it was and is still done in an amicable environment.

"It was a way to express emotions; it showed unity, happiness, and people living in a cordial community,” explained Nsanzabera.

It was also a sign of unfriendliness towards a person, to single him/her among a group and not greet him/her alone.

"During gatherings or ceremonies, it was a sign of hostility when someone greeted others except you,” says Edouard Bamporiki, State Minister in the Ministry of Youth and Culture.

On the other hand, a handshake derived meaning from the words that accompanied it.

"While shaking hands, young boys would be told "kura ujye juru u Rwanda ruragukeneye” which loosely translates to "Grow wiser and healthier, Rwanda needs you” and "Kura ujye juru uzashakira u Rwanda imbuto n’amaboko” translating to "Grow healthier and wiser, Rwanda awaits on your fruits and arms” to young girls,” said Bamporiki adding that in that case it was regarded as a blessing from an elder to a youth.

Culture vs disease

The State Minister requested Rwandans to put into practice all the precautions to fight Coronavirus stating that in the country’s culture, every citizen had to fight the ongoing battle.

"Doing what the government advised against would be abandoning your combatants on the battlefield.”

Therefore, he added, let’s try to follow the government’s regulations in fighting against Covid-19 and as soon as the virus is deemed no longer a threat to people, we shall resume our old ways of greeting each other.