In our last issue, we discussed the story of Gihanga, from his childhood to the time he married his two wives. Let’s today continue with the story of our founding father.

There are writers who say Gihanga had several wives. But oral history tells us that Gihanga had two wives. There are some who say that he was also married to Nyirampingiye. But, Nyirampingiye was Nyamususa’s servant. Gihanga never married the servant of his wife. It was even a scandal to marry a servant, apart from few special cases, when for example a servant saved the life of a king.

We also told you how Gihanga left Nyamususa in Rurenge, and left her with a pregnancy which was discovered after a few months by Nyamususa’s aunt with whom she lived. She later told Jeni of the pregnancy which upset him. And he wanted to kill the Nyamususa. He asked Nyamususa who the father of the child whom Nyamususa refused to reveal. Jeni ordered that Nyamususa be taken to the forest and be killed there.

When they arrived in the forest, people who were hunting saved them from their would-be killers. Nyamususa then continued traveling with her servant until night. As it was cold and with animals around, Nyamususa remembered that Gihanga left her a sealed basket.

She took the basket and opened it with the knife also left by Gihanga. Helped by her servant, they were able to open the basket that helped them make fire and were able to survive. The next day, they continued traveling and later reached Gihanga’s residence in Buhanga.

It is in Buhanga that Nyamususa gave birth to Gihanga four of his five children. Gihanga left five children; including Nyirarucyaba, the first born, Sabugabo, Gahima, Mugondo and Gashubi.

The first four from Nyamususa and the last one from Nyirampirangwe. When Gihanga was old, an incident happened, where his daughter Nyirarucyaba killed the first wife of Gihanga. We will come back to this story when we will be discussing the history of Nyirararucyaba.

After the death of Nyirampirangwe, Gihanga became so sad about the incident and called his wife Nyamususa and his sons to arrange the burial, that took place at Buhanga. After the burial, Gihanga and his family left Buhanga and moved to Nyamirembe, near former Gatsibo district in Byumba.

Father Alexis Kagame, in his book mentioned before says that when Gihanga arrived in Nyamirembe, he became so ill but recovered after a few days with the help of milk brought by Nyirarucyaba.

Upon learning that the milk was from the cows that belonged to Gahu, Nyirarucyaba’s husband, Gihanga asked her to bring him and his cows. Gahu returned with his cows and accepted to give them to Gihanga. To award Gahu, Gihanga told him: "As you gave me your cows, your name will no longer be Gahu; you will be called Kazigama, which means "the one who gives cows.”

Another important event that happened during Gihanga’s old age is the introduction of sorghum in Rwanda. Along the way from Buhanga to Nyamirembe, Nyamususa’s servant picked sorghum and took it with her. On arrival in Nyamirembe, she left it behind the house where it germinated and grew after a few months. The sorghum multiplied fast and Nyirampingiye took some to produce a white drink that she shared with Nyamususa.

One servant of Nyirampirangwe also took the drink but unfortunately she died. When Gihanga learnt of her death due to sorghum, he wanted to kill Nyirampingiye who was saved by Nyamususa. Nyamususa said that sorghum does not kill as she had tested the drink herself. Gihanga ordered them to take more drink to confirm that sorghum was not poisonous and none of them died. Since then, sorghum started to be produced in Rwanda alongside milk.

Gihanga later died of illness at Nyamirembe. After the painful loss of her husband, Princess Nyamususa left Nyamirembe. Rwandan oral history doesn’t where she went, but according to Ugandan tradition, Nakaima came to Mubende after a long journey. Nakaima, who is probably the Rwandan Nyiragahima, meaning the mother of Gahima, Nyamususa. We believe that Nakaima must be Nyiragahima, who left Rwanda after the death of her husband and today she is remembered in Uganda. We also believe that she is the one who left a tree on Mubende Hill that bears her name.

Although he lived a short time in Nyamirembe, it is here that he left his testament and most of his great accomplishments are realized. One of his children who received special thanks was his daughter Nyirarucyaba who was given permission to have her descendants bear her name. ‘Abacyaba’ are descendants of Rucyaba, son of Nyirarucyaba and Kazigaba. Some children of Kazigaba refused to be named after their mother and they are known today as ‘abazigaba.’

The other child who received special treatment from Gihanga was Gahima, who was given the leadership of Gihanga’s people.

Below is what Gihanga proclaimed as his testament to the people he led.

1) God as the owner of Rwanda

Oral history holds that before his death, Gihanga called all his children and told them that his legacies were cattle and governance (referred to as Ingoma in Kinyarwanda); as goes the saying "Gihanga Cyahanze Inka n’Ingoma.” Ingoma founded by Gihanga was a system of governance not a drum as some scholars say; the drum was only a symbol of that system of governance.

This system of governance was headed by God, known in Kinyarwanda as "Imana y’u Rwanda.” To make any decision in Rwanda’s governance, one had to consult the "Imana y’u Rwanda,” Rurema (the creator of everything). This God lived not on earth; had no temple and had to be worshiped in spirit.

2) Nyarushara as the "King of Rwanda”

Nyarushara that was brought by Sabizeze, a story that we will talk about in another issue, was still in Gihanga’s possession. Gihanga later gave Nyarushara to his son Gahima saying: "This is the King of Rwanda, every leader who will come after you will be known as Umugabe of Nyarushara.” Umugabe of Nyarushara is translated as "the General Chief of staff of Nyarushara.” That was the title of Rwandan kings.

To understand how Nyarushara was given the power to govern Rwanda, rather interesting details are given in AndreCoupe and Kamanzi’s "Inzira yo kw’ikima;” this was the royal ceremony for enthroning the king (Umugabe). It would take three days for people to see their king. The Mugesera chosen for that purpose would ask the people three times whether they wanted to see their king.

If they responded yes for three days, Nyarushara would be presented to the people. During the enthronement ceremonies, the person who brought Nyarushara would say: "This is your King.” After that, people would wait to see their leader serving Nyarushara. Every Rwandan was serving God, represented in Rwanda by Nyarushara.

3) Cows as a pillar of the Rwandan economy

Gihanga ordered his people to take cattle as the most treasured of domestic animals, because milk saved him from death. Since then up to the introduction of colonial culture, each army division had a sister cows division.

The army division of Abashakamba had a sister cow division known as Umuhozi; for the army division of Uruyange, there was the cow division named Ingeyo; Imvejuru army division had Inkabuzima; Nyaruguru army division had the cow division named Inkondera; Nyakare army division had Ibyiza cow division; Indara army division had Amarebe; Impamakwica army division had Ingaju z’i Giseke; Abarasa army division had Ingaju zisakara; while Intaganzwa army division went with Uruyenzi cow division.

In ancient Rwanda, only kings, heroes and cows had poets who composed praise-poems for them.

4) Gihanga founded "Ingoma”

The word Ingoma in Rwanda’s history has been somewhat ambiguous; some translated it as drum; it is also taken to mean the period of a king’s reign. In Kinyarwanda for example King (Umwami) Ruganzu’s reign is referred to as "Ingoma ya Ruganzu.”

However, "Ingoma” left by Gihanga was neither a drum nor the period of a king’s reign; it meant "A system of governance” left by Gihanga the founding Father of the nation.

Ingoma (the governance system) left by Gihanga

As we said earlier, before the arrival of "Bidishyi” the people of the great lakes region of the Nile Valley were one in culture and history until the coming of Batembuzi and Bacwezi leadership. The history of this region cannot be known ignoring the fact that in the past its people shared almost everything.

I end this article by saying that only the knowledge of our ancient history is the only weapon that we can use if really we want to be free. Remember that who doesn’t know where he comes, will never know where to go.

I some people would like to know about what the oral history says about Rwanda before Gihanga. In our next article, we will discuss about that issue.

Until then, stay blessed.