The commentary published on these pages earlier this week titled, “It’s Christmas in Kigali”, by Lauren Nkuranga, comes through as something of happy discovery. After a decade in the country, she recalls how “it used to be difficult to tell it was Christmas time in Kigali at all.” It’s different now. Her revel in the Christmas display is enviable, piling the kids in the car and driving through town to admire it all. That was something. I agree with her. I have previously noted the same here. Many others who’ve been in Kigali for a while have noted the difference. Until recently, Christmas could not have been described as a thing in the city. It was not visible, such as with the Christmas tree on display at the Convention Centre. There wasn’t much splash and twinkle of Christmas lights, or the seasonal concerts in the evenings around town as it is today. This may be expected, as the efforts continue to mould the city into an international hub. This is also foretold, as somebody has pointed out, in the growing MICE events which have brought with them the internationalism that comes with cultural aspects such as secular Christmas. MICE stands for Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing and Exhibitions. This is a niche Rwanda has been carving out in the region and is successfully doing good by it. So it is that Kigali is not what it used to be. Along with the enhanced infrastructure and growing skyline, it has embraced the secular Christmas culture encompassing the numerous activities Lauren talked about in her commentary, including Christmas carols and cantatas. By noting the new Christmas glitter, it may seem like there were no celebrations prior to this. Nothing could be further from the truth. Rwanda is over 93 per cent Christian, many of them staunch believers. Thus, as opposed to secular Christmas, Jesus’ birthday was and still is, religiously celebrated (pun intended) by most in churches and the like. The only thing is that the Day has somewhat been low key, revealing another cultural trait about New Year’s Day that handily steals the show from Christmas. A caveat at this point: These observations are anecdotal, with the hope that their cultural significance have been scholarly captured in a more wholesome narrative. According to my knowledgeable Rwandan friends, New Year’s Day celebrations have been the jewel of the festive season. The day is characteristically exuberant and culturally weaved with the symbolism of hope, such as in the wishes of Bonne Année to family and friends. In other countries, one is usually wished a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year in the same salutation. There is also the merriment that my informants enthuse about, such as the invitation of the popular US-based Rwandan musician Benjamin Mugisha (The Ben) as the main act for the East African Party on New Year’s Day in Kigali. This, however, is not a Kigali thing. Music is a New Year staple for revellers everywhere to jump the year and continue their enjoyment of the holiday. Except that in Kigali you can bet on convivial family gatherings and outings and public festivities on the Day. Interestingly, this is unlike other countries in the region where Christmas is a big to-do. Many travel far distances to be with family amid much cooking and meat roasting. I am yet to understand this cultural difference that in Rwanda New Year’s Day takes the cake, literally. I am also yet to know why it overshadow Christmas in this vastly Christian country. I hope for some answers and will leave it at that. Historians and social scientists in our universities will enlighten us. For now, I bask in the season’s bounty with a good book to read. (Also see, “How the Festive Season has evolved in Rwanda”, The New Times, December 24, 2016). Twitter: @gituram The views expressed in this article are of the author.
