A few weeks ago, when the sun was after our lives, I traveled to one of the dustiest parts of Bugesera District, less than an hour drive from Kigali. I was invited to witness a special family event where a young man would gift his father a cow. For starters, cows hold a significant position in our culture, and until now, they are one of the greatest gifts you can receive from someone. The gift of a cow is given on the most special occasions, especially when someone has done a great deed to you or someone you care about. Also usually, parents gift their children at their wedding or when they achieve something special. Something that is not common, especially these days, however, is children gifting their parents cows. This kind of cow is called “umunyafu”, which directly translates to “rod”, and signifies that the act of not sparing the latter didn’t spoil the child, but instead put them in the right direction of life. It was powerful as close family members and distant relatives had come to bear witness to the colourful ceremony that involved chatter, drinking milk and traditional brew. The event itself in the 21st century is rare, but even more so because the cow that was gifted was the long-horned Inyambo, which Rwandans claim to have “created” through rigorous cattle breeding. It is a centuries old tradition that has spread across the region. ALSO READ:Inyambo parade held in Nyanza after six decades Aesthetics, being fundamental in our culture, Inyambo were “created” due to the ultimate search for beauty. Rwandans shaped the most beautiful cow, where its value was not about productivity in terms of dairy and meat. Don’t be fooled, because this does not in any way make the breed any less valuable. They are the most expensive on the market, and very hard to take care of. It has to be noted that in order to eradicate any attributes of the monarchy, the ‘Hutu Pawa’ governments highly discouraged the breeding and ownership of Inyambo, referring to them as ‘Tutsi cows’ since the early 60’s. Later, in 1994, about 90 percent of all cattle in the country was slaughtered during the Genocide against Tutsi. However, specifically, Inyambo cows became almost extinct in the country, something that has been worked on for the last three decades. ALSO READ: How Inyambo cows are bred, preserved through generations To say that the Rwandan cow culture has to some extent declined is not wrong, although it is not necessarily a bad thing, because culture is dynamic and Rwandans now rely on many different things. However, the fact that this young man in his 30s is preserving the culture of rearing and also gifting cows, is nothing less than commendable. He is a good example of the cultural awakening that we are witnessing today. Although most of our authentic traditions have been kept alive through memory transmission by word of mouth, there is hope for our culture. Our country has been through the worst, notably colonization and the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi, and yet, Rwandans have somehow managed to build a resilient society through their children. Last December was one for the books. Famed traditional music singer, Joel Ruti treated fans to an electrifying performance of his maiden album. Formerly attributed to older persons, one wouldn’t have imagined that tickets to the traditional music concert could be sold out and the majority of the fans – who were in their thousands – be in their early 20s to mid-30s. In fact, some people got mad that they couldn’t get a place to sit. Or have you ever seen a female Intore? I had never, in my life, until earlier this year when the Rwandan youth living in Poland launched their traditional dance troupe, Ballet Icyeza. The performance, which I of course, followed online, was colourful. Among their dances was Guhamiriza, which is or has been strictly reserved for male dancers. We have really achieved much in terms of gender equality, but some practices, including this specific dance, are still gendered. Guhamiriza, which is a warriors' parade made of regiments of ‘Intore’ (the chosen ones, the fighters), who used to perform carrying actual weapons. Present-day Intore are not armed, but they carry replicas of spears and shields. ALSO READ: Guhamiriza: Ibihame on quest to restore Rwanda’s authentic culture They answer to war-themed calls such as the famous “murakumbure ikotaniro ye!”. These calls are code-words that announce what dance pattern they are going to follow, and whoever knows the words can dance along, even if they didn’t train together. They represent fighting tactics that when at the battlefield, the fighters would then know which one to use. Certain fighting and battle scenes are recreated. They are traditionally known as ‘Imihamirizo’. The woman in this ballet aced this, and while many may deem it unusual but not a big deal, it actually reflects a society that has outgrown certain beliefs, and with a common goal that is preserving our culture. The feminist in me would love to see more women included in Guhamiriza. There are many things to commend, but I will end this piece with a young man called Johnson Nyakarashi who is an evidently culture enthusiast. He recently organized a visit to one of Rwanda’s oldest talents, Timothee Ngombwa. He went with a group of young people to spend time with him, while singing and dancing to our traditional music. He and other young people also share old footage and archives of our ancestors on social media, and most of their content consumers are young people. Unlike some who might think our society is heading to a bad place, I have hope in Rwanda’s youth. They know their roots and are thirsty to learn more about our traditions, and genuinely do their part to keep it alive. With young people in Rwanda today, our culture is safe.
