The 2024 edition of the Our Past event began at exactly 5pm, which was reason enough for a considerably early turnout just an hour before the curtains rolled up. A considerable number of young people arrived at the premises between 4 PM to 6 PM, and the queues elongated with the passage of time, until they finally came to a standpoint towards nightfall. Our Past was graced with the presence of dignitaries such as the Minister of Youth and Arts, Minister of Sports, and Governor of the Central Bank to mention but a few. The evening was kicked off with documentaries about the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi from the eyes of some of Rwanda’s most elaborate leaders, after which the masters of ceremony officially welcomed and acknowledged everyone’s attendance at the event, paired with a pre-recorded soliloquy courtesy of artist Nirere Shanel, which undeniably set the mood for what was to come. With its instrumental structure and lyricism, Nirere’s 'Araho' conveys subdued grief over a loved one that has not been heard from in a long time, and the relief with which she portrays the wellness of the one’s she’s lost simultaneously portrays a sense of relief alongside the grief, which was the perfect opening for the next act, a play by the poetry club from Gashora Girls Academy. Brought to life by six stage actresses, the play conveyed themes such as generational trauma and deep-rooted grief, which evened out into the zeal to serve one’s nation as the play progressed. The poetry club was followed by a riveting play from the likes of Jean Jules Irakoze, featuring a dialogue with recollections of a past that led to great tragedy, paired with visual aids featuring the infamous President Habyarimana cozying up with other world leaders to discuss what seemed to be malicious plans. A glimpse into a transformed post Genocide Rwanda on the precipice of healing followed, the two timelines interjecting throughout. Dialogues reminiscing on the past during the play were often accompanied by Christiane Boukuru’s harmonies from within the crowd, paired with the gentle strum of a guitar in the background. Irakoze’s future dialogues were often accompanied with a violinist and live painting within the stage background. Irakoze’s dialogue from the future centered on a sense of accomplishment unlikely paired with grief and loneliness, which was brought to life with an eloquent contemporary dance participated in by all the residing stage actors. The evening thereafter transitioned into a minimal interlude in which the hosts both discussed their first encounters with the heavy subject, followed by an awaited performance by local talent Bruce the First. The rapper ventured into the slow jammed verses of his song “Nd’urumuri” which loosely translates to “Iam the light.” The song title is symbolic of the strength and resilience within Rwandans, and Bruce seamlessly iterated this not only with the soulful record but also with his message to young Rwandans before his stage exist urging them to “hold on to their dreams” and not give up on what truly matters. Proceeding the performance, a genocide survivor in the vicinity took to center stage to share the stories of his trauma, including how he survived the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi at the age of 7. He vividly and tearfully recalled losing touch with his immediate family during the Genocide, and later discovering that they were deceased by arson in River Nyabarongo. “Around the time of the Genocide, I visited my dad every week with my brother. One evening as I was on the way to visit, I had a chance encounter with one of the neighbors wearing my father’s clothing and I knew it was time to run. I hid in different places. I was with one of my younger cousins who had also been searching for her mother. We found her mother’s remains and paid our respects, and not long after I came to find out that my family had been burned alive.” “One of the hardest struggles was not being supported by my extended family at a time when they were all I had. Orphaned children in similar situations were tossed from one family to the next and I was lucky to have been able to get through primary and secondary school, but I never felt like I belonged.” His testimony ended with the healing and accomplishment he has been able to attain, one of the most cherished being that he is now a loving husband and father, which is a role he takes pride in. The evening transitioned into a final play presented by “Our Past Creatives” wherein the double timelines consisted of one in 1994 and 2024. The French Musical play explored themes such as duplicitous hate, jealousy and loss which existed simultaneously with grief, acceptance and healing in the latter version. The play also reignited the Our Past tradition of igniting flames and passing the light which is symbolic of hope and remembrance. The French play was followed by a short audio visual recap of Our Past Initiative 12- year journey documenting its humble beginnings, awareness campaigns and Kwibuka Our Past events as well as the tremendous social impact the NGO has made with their various housing projects and more. As the conclusion of the highlight reel, Youth and Arts minister Hon. Abdallah Utumatwishima gave his keynote speech acknowledging and celebrating the work that Our Past Initiative regularly engages in. Hon. Utumatwishima also encouraged the youth to seek out their history more and operate from a place of integrity. “I would like to thank and recognize Our Past Initiative for the work they are doing especially with this event. It is important for young people to uncover as much history as they can because they are the future of this nation and they should lead with integrity rather than with misinformation and primitive politics.” Even with the rain’s reluctance to fall, 2024’s edition of Our Past wasn’t without its hitches. The ever-growing turnout every year raises the challenge to seek out more spacious venues.
