Christmas is all about food for those who celebrate it. It is one of the biggest events which bring people together to enjoy home cooked meals and Rwandans, like most Africans, see the day as a moment of feasting and enjoying abundant food. Some families go an extra mile to cook for the extended family and hold reunions to add a little more fun to the day which is marked every year on December 25. On Christmas day, thousands of Rwandans headed to church for prayers before returning to their homes to enjoy sumptuous meals and many The New Times caught up with, intimated what meals they expected to eat back home, while others were cagey to share. What was clear is that many prepared special meals and drinks for Christmas celebrations. From loads of meat to potatoes, chicken, bananas and rice, Rwandans enjoyed a wide variety of a Christmas menu, with many opting to eat in their homes, rather than stepping out and eating in a restaurant. Christmas is not complete without chicken, 'umunyige' (mashed matooke steamed in banana leaves), rice, chapati and 'Isombe'. This is what I have been accustomed to since childhood and it is not on the menu, said Julius Muneza, a Christmas congregant at the Nyarutarama-based Christian Life Assembly (CLA). 'Isombe' is a common Rwandan delicacy made out of fresh cassava leaves and often cooked with bony meat to spice it up. As a tradition, 'Isombe' is served on special occasions, including festive days, family visits and also on weddings. Other popular meals consumed on Christmas include beef, cassava bread, potato chips as well as roasted potatoes (sauté), which is often accompanied with roasted meat or brochette. When it comes to Christmas meals, whether lunch or dinner, many confessed to eating their favourite foods during the festive season for them to fully celebrate. American nutritionist and food expert, Caroline Hartley says The most important food to have on Christmas is food people, pointing that the menu can include some of the foods often restricted. If the children want ketchup rather than gravy – what’s the harm in letting them? Don’t have anything on the table you don’t enjoy and look forward to in a meal,” says Hartley. Sharing with others Even though she is originally Muslim by faith, Maimouna Mukandayisenga, a resident of Nyabisindu, Remera sector in Gasabo district, said that while she doesn't necessarily celebrate Christmas, she sees it as an opportunity to cook and share with others, especially those who don't have much. I normally cook and invite neighbours every Christmas and we eat 'pilao' as a family. I also try to share a few gifts and food to carry home if there is enough, Mukandayisenga said, pointing out that apart from 'pilao', a delicacy of rice and meat, she also cooks chips and beef stew, which is enjoyed by children. Meat roasting For Denis Oketch, a Kenyan residing in Rwanda, Christmas is not complete without a home barbecue with friends and family. Christmas evening is dedicated to 'nyama choma', 'ugali' and 'sukuma wiki', washed down with the drink of your choice. This is what we normally do back in Kenya. It is an opportunity to come together as a family to wind down Christmas evening relaxing, enjoying meat and music, while those who enjoy their beer have it to spice up the evening, Oketch said. Personally, I believe that is the best way to celebrate, rather than spending a lot of money out yet you can do something like that and it is more fun, he said. Baking a storm For some, Christmas is all about baking together as a family, whether it is 'mandazi' or 'chapati' in the morning before heading out to church. Linda Umuraza, a resident of Bumbogo, says that from childhood they had a culture of baking very early on the morning of Christmas, where everybody would be involved, including children. Baking is a good practice that brings people together and I have made sure I introduce it to my children. The first thing we do when we wake up on Christmas morning is to bake all sorts of things, from as early as 5am. The house is full of activity and you can't find a better way to kick off celebrations than baking, Umuraza said.
