Minister Uwacu hails cultural galore, says 'Igitaramo' reflects glow in Rwandan values

The enthusiasm with which Rwandans participated and received the night of cultural gathering, locally known as ‘Igitaramo,’ is a testament that Rwandan culture is thriving, Julienne Uwacu has said. The Minister for Sports and Culture, who was on Saturday night opening the second edition of the ‘Nyanza Twataramye’ Cultural Festival in Nyanza District, challenged Rwandans to remain proud of their cultural heritage. “Our culture represents our country, and we should be proud of it. I wish that this particular ceremony could be expanded and taken to more parts across the country. Our country is very secure, let us celebrate our culture until morning,” Uwacu said. Thousands of people gathered at the Nyanza National Art Gallery Museum in the Southern Province district on Saturday night for the cultural fete. Locals from within Nyanza and the neighbouring districts, government officials and tourists mixed and mingled as they experienced the century-old ‘Inyambo’ cow whispering, folklore tales, King’s drum showcase, poetry and traditional food which they washed down with traditional drinks such as ‘umutsama’ (honey beer) and ‘Inkangaza’ (sorghum-honey) beers. Intore Masamba thrills guests at Igitaramo. Nyanza mayor Abdallah Murenzi said the district has a good reputation in terms of culture, adding that the number of foreign tourists has been steadily increasing as they come to visit the place considered as the origin of the country’s culture. The Governor of Southern Province, Alphonse Munyentwari, said sharing Nyanza culture should be the pride to not only its residents but also to everyone in the whole country. “This is a place which every Rwandan should be proud of not only because of its rich cultural heritage or its significance but also because it is now a tourist attraction,” Munyentwari said. Yves Nsengimana, a Nyanza resident, told The New Times that the festival is a great achievement for his district but it should be a source of pride to all Rwandans because it signifies that the country’s culture is something that people take seriously. “This is a good opportunity to educate the young generation about our culture so that it doesn’t get swallowed up by modernity. We are proud of our culture and we should make sure that places like Nyanza are known worldwide,” Nsengimana said. Tourists and other guests serve themselves traditional food. (Photos by Eddie Nsabimana) To celebrate the traditional night, folk singers Intore Masamba, Jules Sentore and their cultural troupe ‘Gakondo’ performed. They were later joined by other cultural troupes like ‘Imena’ and ‘Inkubito y’Icyeza,’ who wowed the crowd with their creativity and gracefulness. Alphonse Murisa, the director-general of the Institute of National Museums of Rwanda, said on Friday that there should be more cultural sites and places where traditional celebrations should be held to attract more tourists. “Nyanza is a unique name. The way we preserve our culture should be used to inspire people all over the world. The King was always moving around the country but always had to return to his palace in Nyanza. Seeing people from other countries coming to visit this place means something special to our country,” Murisa said. The second edition of ‘Nyanza Twataramye Cultural Festival’ saw some Rwf100 million injected into the fete – up from Rwf40 million that was used for the maiden event. This cultural festival was organised under the theme, “Taking culture to the future generations.” editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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Minister Uwacu hails cultural galore, says 'Igitaramo' reflects glow in Rwandan values