The story of how Rwanda was formed from just one hill in the present Gasabo District by Gihanga Ngomijana, its first king and apparent founder, may have not been told, had it not been for the support of the ‘first women’ (abagore b’ikubitiro).

Although on different scales, women in Rwanda have always been in almost all the key levels of government and society at large; from the country’s creation, expansion, and protection, to its development.

Juru Ruranganwa, a historian and author talked to The New Times in an interview about his soon-to-be-published book ‘Rwanda: Abagore b’intwari’ that will feature different women regarded as heroes in pre-colonial and colonial Rwanda.

They are women who have contributed greatly to the patriotic cause of protecting the throne, which was the most important part of the kingdom, that some of them even shed their blood, a high-level act of heroism.

Below are some of their profiles:

Nyirarukangaga

Also referred to as Nyiragihanga, Nyirarukangaga is the mother of Gihanga Ngomijana, who influenced her clan, Abazigaba, to support his son’s reign.

Believed to have found Rwanda, Ngomijana would later be the first of the Nyiginya dynasty, which ruled Rwanda for the longest period.

Historians say it would have been impossible for Ngomijana to rule without the support from Nyirarukangaga’s clan, which made her contribution valuable to the creation of Rwanda.

Nyirakanyarwanda Nyamususa

When the empire of Rwoga fell after its emperor, Jeni ya Rurenge and his whole family succumbed to an epidemic, the sole survivor and heir to the throne was Nyamususa who happened to be Ngomijana’s wife.

Ngomijana took over the Rwoga throne after Nyamususa joined him in marriage, with her land, soldiers, and everything else.

Rwanda started becoming great militarily and in size.

Nyirarucyaba

A story is told, that Ngomijana’s daughter, Nyirarucyaba, is the source of the first wealth Rwanda had. She discovered a cow, which would later become the most important sign of wealth in the kingdom.

Although people reared chicken, goats, sheep, and kept bees, cows were given more value because of their importance in different aspects which were political, economic and social.

Until now, some parts of the country still cherish the animal, even incorporating it in their children’s names; such as Gaju (red cow), Kanyana (female calf), and more.

Nyirarucyaba was also the first woman to ever hold a top position at the palace. She headed an army unit called ‘Abahiza’ who were in charge of work at the palace, culinary business, event planning, and more.

Her greatness is what reportedly made her father, the king, recognize her children as his own, and even distributed shares equally among them and their uncles (Nyirarucyaba’s brothers), despite the fact that culturally, children take their father’s clan. In this case, Nyirarucyaba’s children were from the ‘Abazigaba’ clan as was their father.’

It should also be noted that Nyirarucyaba had eight siblings, all male.

Referred to as the "child of two reigns” (umwana w’ingoma ebyiri) because her mother, Nyamususa, was a princess from a different kingdom, Nyirarucyaba became the only woman in the history of Rwanda to have a clan named after her. "Abacyaba”, one of the oldest clans in Rwanda started after her.

Robwa Nyiramateke

Nyiramateke is known in the history of Rwanda to have shed her blood for the kingdom, after she was married off to be a queen in Gisaka Kingdom.

In pre-colonial Rwanda, a popular concept of fighting for the country known as ‘Gutabarira u Rwanda’ in Kinyarwanda, was widely practiced by almost all the kings who launched military expeditions to enlarge the Rwandan kingdom.

One of the ways was to send people to targeted kingdoms, where they would shed their blood to bring curse to that land, and send good luck to the Rwandan army that would attack later and win.

Such people were called ‘Abatabazi b’abacengeri’, which would loosely translate to ‘infiltrative saviours/liberators’, and Nyiramateke is among the most famous. Only the ones with a positive divination (kuraguza) would go on the covert operation.

Nyiramateke was a princess, a daughter to King Nsoro I Samukondo who ruled Rwanda from 1279 to 1312.

She was married off to a foreign king, Kimenyi, who ruled Gisaka, a kingdom Rwanda had wanted to annex for long.

Nyiramateke had agreed to shed her blood for the kingdom, and she did so when she was pregnant with a son that would have inherited the Gisaka throne and automatically make her a Queen Mother.

Nyabunyana

When King of Rwanda, Yuhi II Gahima died in 1447, his sons fought for the throne and refused to be at the service of their brother, Ndahiro II Cyamatare, who was chosen to succeed him.

Cyamatare got worried that his family would be hurt, and Rwanda would be without king, so he sent his son, Ruganzu II Ndoli, to live with his sister, Nyabunyana, who was married to a king in Karagwe (present day Tanzania) for safety.

As dreaded, Cyamatare was killed with the rest of his family in an attack by the king of Bunyabungo (southern Kivu), Nsibura Nyebuga.

Nyabunyana on the other hand, raised Ndoli to love his country and protected him at all costs. Historians say he could have been killed by his uncles or the Banyabungo who had taken Rwanda over fearing that he would revenge and that he was the sole legitimate heir to the throne. They argue that his aunt took on a big risk hiding him.

Indeed, Ndoli, bearing his aunt’s wisdom in his mind, recaptured Rwanda after 11 years since the Banyabungo killed his father, and went on to become the most famous king Rwanda had.

He also strengthened bilateral relations between Rwanda and Karagwe, thanks to his aunt Nyabunyana.

Nyiraruganzu II Nyirarumaga

When King Ruganzu II Ndoli recaptured Rwanda after his parents were killed, he needed a foster Queen Mother since his mother was killed.

Among his father’s loyal insiders who protected him and brought him to safety in Karagwe was a woman named Nyirarumaga who was known for her kindness and wisdom.

Nyirarumaga was then crowned the foster Queen Mother (Umugabekazi w’umutsindirizi/ w’ingoboka) and she is credited for several reforms including in leadership. She encouraged truth, and competence over inheritance.

She is most famous for poetry, and is also referred to as the ‘mother of Rwandan poetry’. Her poem, ‘Umunsi ameza imiryango yose’ (the day she became the matriarch of all families), tells the story of Nyamususa, the wife of Gihanga, who founded the Nyiginya monarchy.

Nyirarumaga composed the poem as a model for a new historiographical poetic form called ‘Impakanizi’ which can be viewed as a necklace (‘urunigi’), in which every king’s history is added like a bead.

Benginzage (Nyagakecuru)

Ruganzu II Ndoli was known to be great in the expansion of the Rwandan kingdom, he even had superpowers, at least according to the locals.

However, a woman known as Nyagakecuru who ruled the kingdom of Bungwe was known to have given him a hard time trying to annex her land.

She refused to bow to him, and her soldiers were the only ones in the region who could fight Ibisumizi, Ndoli’s great men who are famous for their fighting skills.

Although Ndoli later tricked her into taking his gift of hundreds of goats which later ate her dangerous plant fence and led to her killing, Nyagakecuru’s soldiers had never lost to Ibisumizi.

This made Nyagakecuru famous even until now because of her bravery. She fought for her people until her last breath.

Nyabugondo

Another ‘saviour,’ Nyabugondo, was married off to a King of Mubari kingdom called Biyoro, in a covert operation to kill him by Kigeli III Ndabarasa who was the king of Rwanda.

Nyabugondo, a princess, was supposed to spy on Biyoro until he was killed by her father’s men. She could have been killed a terrible death if anyone knew that she was an infiltrator.

On broad daylight, Ndabarasa carried alcohol and other gifts, and went to visit his son-in-law, Biyoro. He had married his daughter to him on the pretext of strengthening the bilateral ties between their kingdoms.

As the party got more vibrant, Ndabarasa got up with his spear as if he were dancing and instead stabbed Biyoro in the chest and he died on spot. Eventually, Mubari was annexed to Rwanda and their reign was ended at that moment.

Nyabugondo was brought back home and was married to someone else after risking her life for the expansion of the Rwandan kingdom.

Nyiratunga, Kiyange, Nyiramuhanda

With the untimely death of King Mibambwe III Mutabazi II Sentabyo who passed on at the age of 25, after only five years of his reign, his brother Gatarabuhura was sure he was going to succeed him.

Gatarabuhura had fought his brother ever since he was crowned, saying he was older and wiser, but in vain. He fled the kingdom to ask for help for a coup, but counted himself lucky when Sentabyo and his son, who would inherit the throne, died of small pox.

As Gatarabuhura was getting ready to ascend to the throne, the King’s Council learnt of a baby boy named Gahindiro that Sentabyo had with a woman named Nyiratunga.

They rushed to protect the mother and child, but word that a legitimate heir was alive got to Gatarabuhura who then planned for their assassination, information that was quickly given to the King’s Council.

To avoid conflict that would have many people die, the Council had to trick Gatarabuhura and make him think that he assassinated the baby and his mother.

Kiyange, who was a servant at the palace said she was willing to die in Nyiratunga’s place, while her colleague, Nyiramuhanda, gave up her baby to die in Gahindiro’s place.

Kiyange and Nyiramuhanda’s son were then remembered as ‘Abatabazi’, hence heroes, and Nyiramuhanda was rewarded to be part of the King’s Council, becoming the first and possibly only woman to be in the history of Rwanda.

Gahindiro was then crowned as Yuhi IV Gahindiro, and his mother, Nyirayuhi IV Nyiratunga, and she ruled the kingdom for several years until his son could.

She is credited for the most peaceful reign in Rwanda’s pre-colonial history, and her love for children.

Nyiratunga is also known for her love for children and defence for their rights, where her famous saying "abatoya nti bagapfe” (the young ones should never die) is valid until now. A famous song after the quote is enjoyed by many.

Nyirakigeri IV Murorunkwere

Just like Nyiratunga, Murorunkwere ruled the kingdom on behalf of his son, King Kigeli IV Rwabugili, who reigned when he was crowned when he was only seven years old.

Rwabugiri is among the most famous Rwandan kings because of his military genius and the number of military expeditions he launched, expanding the Rwandan kingdom greatly and recapturing its formerly lost parts.

Murorunkwere was the commander of Kigeli’s first military expedition launched on Idjwi Island, the first of successful many others. She is also credited for inspiring her son to be brave, leading to his greatness in the region.

Dancilla Nyirakigwene

When Lord Nyantabana of Nduga died, his wife, Nyirakigwene asked King Yuhi V Musinga if she could replace him.

Although Rwanda had female lords, it was odd for Nyirakigwene to ask for the position when a new colonial constitution stipulated that lords would solely be male and would be replaced by their sons.

Nyantabana’s untimely death however, happened when his son Bagambiki was still too young for the role, leading his wife to ask to step in as the child grows.

Her request was granted and she ended up becoming one of the most known female lords in the country. Her legacy of striving for justice and equality still stands.