Interesting how today Rwanda is becoming a crucible of humanity. We are beginning to see Rwandans who represent the diverse races of the globe.
Interesting how today Rwanda is becoming a crucible of humanity. We are beginning to see Rwandans who represent the diverse races of the globe.
If this happens, it’ll not be the first for any country, you may say. Stand on the side of any street in USA for thirty minutes and how many races would walk past you? Yet all would be American.
True, but Rwanda is different.
You can tell that a Whiteman is Rwandan without having to see his identity card. If you’ve read my tall tales, you’ll counter that I’d not have been caught pants down, mistaking Rwandans for Kenyans, if it were so.
But maybe you’d been spared the agony of reading my ramblings and have only just happened by this article. Hapless you, you are now in my grip and have to stay because you’ll not see the end of this story before you see the cows come home!
So, if you’d never seen my ramblings, you may not know what I went through. Now as my hostage, you have no chance but to listen as I recount the blunders that I committed in Kenyan matatus (twegerane in Rwanda, or minibus taxis) during my stint as a teacher in Kenya.
The first time was when I used a disparaging word, talking to my younger brother in my mother tongue, in reference to a lady passenger whom I took to be Luo, for her dark complexion.
When she chided me, in my very language, for my unprovoked insult to her, I’d’ve been happy if the earth had opened and swallowed me!
The second time was no less disastrous. In reference to a young conductor of a matatu who was taking time to give my balance on the fare I’d paid, I said to my elder brother next to me: "Aka kana k’imbwa ko katampa amafaranga yanjye?” (Why is this small son-of-a-**** not returning my balance?)
Imagine my consternation when the young man, whom I’d taken to be Mkamba, responded in perfect Kinyarwanda: "Ariko se Muzehe, ko ubundi Abanyarwanda bagira ikinyabupfura….” (Surely, elderly gentleman, Rwandans are normally distinguished by their suave courtesy…..)
I felt as if I was something that’d just crept out of the dirtiest hole!
He was Mkamba but had lived in Kamwenge, Uganda, where he’d interacted with Rwandans in their refugee camp and learnt their language in the process. He explained all this after I’d apologised to him and offered him the balance.
Anyway, I don’t want to tire you with my troubles in Kenya. What I was trying to say is that it is easy to tell that a person is Rwandan.
For instance, there was no mistaking a man who gave a person a bear hug in the streets of Nairobi. Usually, other nationals stared in disbelief when Rwandans openly engaged in such customs. In fact, some nationals could not believe that a man and a woman could hug casually like that if they’d never shared intimate moments.
So, one time last week we were talking about these traditions that are particular to Rwandans when Kanyeshyamba told us his story of how he’d displayed such custom without being aware it was because he was Rwandan.
To jog your memory, Kanyeshyamba is this Rwandan friend who is of Belgian-Dutch origin but was born in Congo Belge (today’s D.R. Congo). He and his parents moved to Rwanda in 1952 and later acquired Rwandan nationality. Today, he is as Rwandan as they come, even if White.
This week he was sitting in BCK Restaurant when a lady of Japanese features entered and sat at the same table. When the lady had settled to watch TV, Kanyeshyamba greeted her in English without even introducing himself, which is typically Rwandan.
Equally unceremoniously, the lady answered his greetings and they started to talk as if they’d met before.
Minutes into their conversation, Kanyeshyamba, having only a stammering knowledge of the English language, asked her if she spoke French. The lady answered in the negative and Kanyeshyamba laboured on in English.
When it was time for her to go, however, the words to bid her bye came to Kanyeshyamba spontaneously, and they were in Kinyarwanda: "Ugende amahoro!” (Go well!) Her response came immediately also and it was in Kinyarwanda: "Urakoze!” (Thank you!)
Both expressed surprise, one that the other knew the language, whereupon the lady sat again so that now they could talk more comfortably. Kanyeshyamba explained that he was married to a Rwandan of Rwandan origin and the lady explained that she was engaged to soon get married to a Rwandan of Rwandan origin and they both stood up to exchange that Rwandan hug, now without any unease.
They were amazed, because everything became clear now. Hadn’t it been the fact of their being Rwandan, they’d not have exchanged those first greetings. For exchanging them, the two couples are friends and, by extension, all that are connected to their families are friends.
One feature of Rwandan culture that demonstrates why Rwandans believed that Rwanda was the universe. There was no stranger in Rwanda.
Goodbye genocide, welcome back Rwanda!