Music has played an important role in the emotional journey of genocide survivors and one of the most effective remedies for trauma caused by the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

Genocide survivors say that commemoration songs helped a lot during the reconciliation journey and relieved the painful memories and wounds they had after losing their loved ones.

"For me, these songs act as the first aid or the foundation to the healing of wounds caused by the Genocide. In addition to that, I like the way some songs include names of the genocide victims and this helps in historical documentation and comforts survivors” recounts Celestin Nshimiyimana, a genocide survivor.

Carine Bagwaneza, a Kicukiro resident and genocide survivor also echoes the same views.

"They are a remedy, or a healing tool. When I am listening to them, I feel relaxed and the depression goes away because I am recounting the bad memories, but in a comforting manner,” She says.

Professor Eric Sezibera, a psychiatrist and university lecturer also asserts that music plays an important role in the emotional journey of the genocide survivors.

"The message in a song can be a helpful complementary remedy because the different songs we listen to, have different messages comforting you and reminding you that you are not alone,” he says.

"This indeed creates a sense of confidence and comfort that the survivors aren’t alone, at the time when they are going through grief and difficult times and feels like there is no one standing by their side. So, that is how the messages in these songs can be a cure for all of this trauma,” he adds.

However, the university lecturer asserts that this is not enough, citing that the whole of the Rwandan community has to show survivors who are still wounded by the tragic moments of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, that they are with them during this period.

Artistes speak out

Artistes also say that it is their role to contribute in the reconciliation process as a way to fill the gaps of singers who had a role in the ethnic divisions among Rwandans that led to the genocide.

According to Dieudonne Munyenshoza, "Music has had a role in the reconciliation process, because the message is able to reach a wider audience, through different compositions, poems and songs among others”, he says.

"There are artists who had a role in the Genocide by inciting hate and killing among Rwandans. This should become a lesson for current and upcoming artistes that they should not be dragged into  discriminatory ideologies, but instead fill the gap of artistes who preached reconciliation”, says Eric Senderi, a singer and music composer.