On Friday August 2, Rwandans celebrated Umuganura, the Feast of Harvest and Thanksgiving. The festival was revived in 2011 and is now celebrated annually on the first Friday of August, which is also a public holiday. ALSO READ: Umuganura: Rwandans abroad to support national school feeding programme Belgian colonial authorities had banned it in 1926 and the first two post-colonial governments had maintained the ban. Umuganura is a time of sharing and togetherness, and gratitude for what has been achieved individually and collectively. It is also time to recommit to even greater accomplishments. But its significance goes beyond feasting and a public holiday. It is key in preserving community bonds and promoting social integration as well as being an important element of national identity. This year’s Umuganura has added significance. It happened in the middle of another national celebration – of Rwanda’s democracy. We have just had a general election in which nearly all Rwandans participated and for which they are hugely proud. I have not heard of any expressing regret or misgivings. Of course, there were a few discordant voices from selfish creatures, criminals and traitors. These were to be expected, but they do not count for much in numbers or substance. Rwandans, indeed, expressed their joy during the entire electoral process. They are proud of what they did and will tell you: the election is ours, organised, run and funded by us. The choices are ours, not dictated to us by outsiders. Any shortcomings, too, are ours, although it is hard to find any that would attract serious attention. Even the 99.18% win for President-elect Paul Kagame from nearly one hundred percent voter turnout is ours, whatever others may say. They may find it difficult to believe. But that is because they are not us, not because it is not true. ALSO READ: Umuganura: A feast that brings Rwandans to the heart of their Nation They have not had our history, or lived through the threat and reality of extermination as happened in the genocide against the Tutsi in 1994. They have not been to the bottom of the abyss or had to resurrect from the dead and learn to live again, repair themselves, reconnect broken bonds, rebuild and try to flourish as a nation again. They have not had any of these. So what gives them the right to say that our choices are not right? Arrogance perhaps. Ignorance too. As already observed, this year’s Umuganura coincided with this important exercise of renewal, revival and progress. In a few days Rwandans will cap the democracy festivities with the inauguration of Paul Kagame as he begins another term as president. You can expect Amahoro Stadium will be full to capacity and the atmosphere festive, just like it was during the campaign and election. Those unable to get into the stadium will be glued to their TV and radio sets to follow the ceremony live. That is evidence, if any were needed, of the bond and mutual trust between citizens and their leader. When he takes the oath of office, he will commit to serve and lead them to bigger and better harvests. He will ask them to play their part as well and they will roar their agreement. In many ways, the spirit of Umuganura will be present at the inauguration. The ceremony is also a celebration of Kagame’s and Rwandans’ achievements and commitment to continue along the same path. ALSO READ: School feeding takes center stage in Umuganura celebrations This aspect of Umuganura - as part of modern Rwanda – gets very little attention. When one talks about Umuganura, most people hear culture and tradition and the past. They hear ancient history. They think only of sharing food, cooked and served in ways, some of them, especially the young, have never seen. That poses a real danger of looking at it as simply about how things were done in the distant past, with hardly any relevance to today This is true of other aspects of culture that are also viewed as mere practices from the past, quaint and a little curious, but otherwise with no connection to today. Quaintness may be attractive, even seductive, but essence is more meaningful. It is also important to understand the historical context, but it is even more so to place it in today’s context. It could even be used to explain to ordinary people concepts like GDP, per capita income and national ambitions to attain high middle income status in the near future. Emphasis should be on goals and achievements in a variety of fields. Harvest today is not limited to agriculture. It extends to other fields – business, science and technology, medicine, governance, arts and sports, and even attitudes about ourselves. These are successes for which we can rejoice and be thankful.
