3-Day Rwanda Culture Tour & Wildlife Safari

Culture Name: Rwandan | Alternative Names: Banyarwanda, Banyamulenge, Bafumbira

The main languages spoken in the Rwandan republic are Kinyarwanda, English, French (all official), and Swahili. It is the most densely populated country on the African mainland and one of the world’s poorest countries. The vast majority of people are Christians and a few percent are Muslims (many mix elements of African religion with Christianity or Islam). The major ethnic groups are Hutu (85-90%), Tutsi (10-15%), and Twa (1%). Please avoid asking your visitor which ethnic group they belong to due to past history. Over 90% of people work in subsistence agriculture and live in rural areas. Living conditions vary immensely between social classes and urban and rural settings. The majority of Rwandans don’t have indoor plumbing, electricity, or running water.

Rwanda and Burundi share a very similar culture and were administrated as a single entity known as Ruanda-Urundi until their independence in 1962. During colonial rule (first Germany, later Belgium) a rigid system of social stratification emerged in both countries that had violent repercussions to the present day. The ongoing conflict between the Hutu and Tutsi is a direct result of the way Rwanda was governed under colonialism. For a long time, the small Tutsi elite was treated (due to their pre-colonial standard as monarchs) as superior to the Hutu, which fostered resentment among the major ethnic group.

When the Tutsi sought independence from Belgium in the 1950s the colonial power changed their direction and favored the Hutu. This shifting of powers resulted in recurring ethnic violence on a horrendous scale. Since 1962 over a million people were killed and many more became displaced. The most pressing social problem affecting the country today is ethnic conflict. The present government has pledged its commitment to a non-ethnic society (that everyone is simply Rwandan) but growing economic disparities between sectors of Rwandan society compound the problem of ethnic division.

GREETING CUSTOMS

Greetings are a central part of social etiquette. In rural areas, it is important to greet everyone that passes your way – MWARAMUTSE (in the morning), and MWIRIWE (in the afternoon). People shake hands with their right hand. Friends often lay a hand on the other hip while the right hand touches the shoulder. To show respect for social status people hold their right forearm with their left hand while shaking hands. Men often share a touching of the sides of their foreheads, first right then left. Holding hands between people of the same sex is a sign of friendship. When two people of the opposite sex talk there is very little to no touching.

When a man is greeting a woman it is best to wait for the woman to extend her hand. Eye contact might be more indirect during a conversation; women and children might look down or away to show respect. It is best to avoid asking about someone’s ethnicity or making referrals to the civil war. Almost every Rwandan has a story related to the 1994 genocide, a trauma so severe that it is difficult for many to cope with, which is why it is improper to ask people what happened to them. Many lost loved ones. Good topics of conversation include food, sport (soccer, running), Rwanda’s landscape, Australia, etc.

Rwandans love a good joke but avoid sarcasm as it might not translate. In many situations people are flexible with appointed times, they don’t tend to be overly punctual. This is different in business situations where punctuality is valued. Rwandan people have a set of gestures for pointing to and calling people. If you want to point to someone hold out the arm with the palm open and upward. It is considered very rude to point at a person with your index finger.

Calling someone to come over is done by extending the arm with the palm turned down and bringing in the fingers towards you, like a scratching motion. Rwandans also have proper ways to give or receive things. Children learn to offer both hands when receiving an object, especially from an adult, which shows respect.

FAMILY

The family unit in Rwanda includes a husband, wife, and children. People from several related households comprise another kinship. The eldest or most influential male is considered the head of this unit. Marriage is very important as marriage and having a child mark a person’s transition to full adulthood. To get married one has to pay a price for his bride to her father. Ritual occasions such as weddings serve as important recreational functions. Having children is very important because dying without having them means that no one will honor the deceased’s spirit. Children who receive the privilege of education are expected to financially assist the family later.

PRESENTATION

Clothing is very European but mostly second-hand as not many can afford to buy new clothes. Rwandan people place great importance on looking their best and take great pride in their appearance. Men always wear long pants as shorts are just worn by young children and schoolboys. In most rural areas, women have to wear clothing that covers their legs.

A Rwandan woman taking part in a community service
known as “Umuganda”. (Photo Source: Rwanda pedia).

FOOD

Diet is high in starches and low in protein and fat. The most common foods are various banana types, potatoes, and beans (sometimes fish). Meat is eaten very rarely, the most common is goat while beef is the most desired but will only be available when someone has sacrificed a bull or cow on a ceremonial occasion. Cattle are valued for prestige value and milk. While food is not always offered to guests, drinks are. It is seen as an insult not to offer a drink where others are drinking. Be aware that it is not acceptable for some women to drink alcohol. Bread, coffee, and tea are popular for breakfast.

Rwanda Wildlife

The greatest diversity of large mammals is found in the three National Parks, which are designated conservation areas. Akagera contains typical savanna animals such as giraffes and elephants, while Volcanoes, home to an estimated one-third of the worldwide mountain gorilla population.

Nyungwe Forest boasts thirteen primate species including chimpanzees and Ruwenzori colobus arboreal monkeys; the Ruwenzori Colobus moves in groups of up to 400 individuals, the largest troop size of any primate in Africa. Twenty species of mammals reported by the Animal Diversity web of the Museum of Geology University of Michigan are as under