'I Nyanza Twataramye' brings out the hallmark of Rwanda's cultural heritage

Having lived outside the United States since February 2009, I arrived in Rwanda in July as an experienced traveller who was keenly aware of the problems that often characterise the life of an expatriate: gridlock, language barriers, petty crimes, bloated prices and disconnection. Actually, that sounds much like life in my home community of New York City, especially language barriers, because we don’t listen to others. I left the US because I yearned to experience life outside of the cultural trap that America long ago became. While such problems are universal to life almost everywhere, there are communities where they are largely absent. One such place is Nyanza District located in the Southern Province, about 88 kilometres from the capital Kigali. The district’s capital is Nyanza City. During a bus ride, I had the pleasure of sitting next to a talkative man (he lived in Kigali and was visiting family in Nyanza) who was eager to discuss Rwanda, life in Nyanza and its traditions. At the time I hadn’t planned on writing a story so I neither took notes nor wrote his name. A college graduate and young entrepreneur in IT, he spoke quite knowledgably about the business and economic advances Rwanda was making, and how the country was positioning itself as a great place to invest financially. I otherwise spent the ride quietly taking in the scenic landscape; Rwanda is a beautiful country, no wonder it is warmly referred to as “the land of a thousand hills.” In the western world many are still inclined to associate the country with the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, but a visit would quickly dispel such a notion. It’s one of the safest and most peaceful places I have ever lived, and it has a highly efficient government. Rwanda has been ranked the seventh most efficient government in the world in the Global Competitive Report 2014/15. This is due in no small part to the government’s effort to reform itself and the country in the aftermath of the Genocide; simply stated, the government had no tolerance for social disorder. Consequently, Rwandans relearned (because lets face it and acknowledge that Rwanda had a strong tradition of living without violent dissent before colonisation) how to work and live together harmoniously throughout the country. Seemingly, Nyanza District epitomises the concept of harmonious living. This trip was my second to the district; the occasion was the second annual “I Nyanza Twataramye Cultural Festival,” celebrating Rwandan culture and heritage, Friday, December 4 and Saturday, December 5. The best of Rwanda I am a freelance photojournalist and was hired to document the two-day event. Friday kicked off with a tour that included the Minister of State for Agriculture, Tony Nsanganira, and Nyanza mayor Abdallah Murenzi, among a field of VIPs, of the National Art Gallery, King’s Palace Museum, Nyanza Diary, and the Nyanza Dam and Hillside Irrigation Project. The district is considered by many to be the cradle of Rwanda’s heritage as it hosts some of the country’s most prized cultural assets, for example, the palace of King Mutara III Rudahigwa. The viewing of the ‘Inyambo’ (traditional Rwandan cows famous for their long horns) on the grounds of museum provided an opportunity for seemingly everyone to pose and take photographs. This was followed by a long and delicious lunch served outside on the grounds of the National Art Gallery, which made for a nice opportunity to network and to get an additional feel for all who were in attendance. Later, the tour group attended the investor’s forum that featured business leaders, entrepreneurs, investors and heads of government. The forum’s discussions were at times quite lively and spoke to the issue of positioning Nyanza District as a unique investment destination. The evening (and a very long day) concluded with drinks, hors-dóeuvres and live music. Saturday was by far the more engaging day, if only because it made for an opportunity to rub elbows with the locals – everyday people – and dispel several common stereotypes about Rwandans: they are unemotional, conservative, boring and don’t know how to party. Earlier this year, after announcing to Ugandan friends that I was leaving Kampala and moving to Kigali several of them expressed the aforementioned sentiments. Well, they clearly hadn’t taken the time to suitably socialise with Rwandans. From a cycling event to tennis, football competitions, dancing at the street market bazaar and the evening’s musical/cultural event, all I photographed were people letting their hair down and getting their groove on. I had a wonderful time and captured a lot of exuberant moments. Needless to say but Rwandans know how to party. The I Nyanza Twataramye Cultural Festival is a meaningful effort on the part of district officials to promote Nyanza as a good area to visit, invest and live. In Nyanza, there exist a spirit of harmony that all visitors to Rwanda and its citizens from other regions should experience.

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'I Nyanza Twataramye' brings out the hallmark of Rwanda's cultural heritage