Karega ka Karigata is the most recent known Rwandan warrior to have received Gucana Uruti, one of the most prestigious traditional military honours in pre-colonial Rwanda, loosely translated as “lighting the spear shaft.” According to Umuco w’Ubutwari mu Rwanda (The Culture of Heroism in Rwanda), a publication by the Chancellery for Heroes, National Orders and Decorations of Honour (CHENO), the honour was reserved for a warrior who had killed 21 enemies in battle. ALSO READ: How Rwandans in ancient times honoured courage and heroism The ritual was conducted at the royal court in the presence of the king, the warrior’s relatives and fellow soldiers. Beginning in the evening and lasting throughout the night, the ceremony involved setting the wooden shaft of a spear alight, symbolising the completion of a warrior’s military service. From that moment, the honoured warrior was forbidden from returning to the battlefield. Instead, he became a permanent royal envoy, a trusted representative authorised to officiate and speak on behalf of the king at public ceremonies. In this role, he enjoyed privileges normally reserved for the monarch, including royal attire and elevated social status. CHENO has identified Karega ka Karigata as the most recent recipient of Gucana Uruti. He was a soldier in the Uruyange corps and belonged to the Abaka clan of the Abanyiginya royal lineage. ALSO READ: How ancient Rwandans counted years Speaking to The New Times, Raphael Nkaka, an associate professor of history and heritage studies at the University of Rwanda, said Karega served in the Uruyange corps, a military unit formed during the reign of King Yuhi IV Gahindiro in the 19th century. At the time, Karega lived in Murinja, in present-day Nyanza District. He was a member of an Itorero, a traditional civic and military training institution known as Ijuru, as military units were organised through amatorero. “The Uruyange troops were initially commanded by Rugaju rwa Mutimbo, Karega’s uncle, before leadership passed to Rwakagara, the ancestor of the Abakagara clan,” Nkaka said. ALSO READ: How Rwanda’s pre-colonial Kings shaped its borders Nkaka explained that Karega was later appointed by King Kigeri IV Rwabugiri as commander of the Ababanda regiment, which was stationed at the Gakoma military camp in present-day Gisagara District. “Gakoma lies above the Akanyaru marshland, a strategic position that allowed the army to closely monitor Burundi, from where enemy attacks could originate,” he noted. Karega was later relieved of his command and reverted to the rank of an ordinary soldier within the Uruyange corps. “It was after this that he earned Gucana Uruti, a supreme military honour awarded to a warrior who had killed 21 enemies during royal campaigns conducted at the national level,” Nkaka said. Once a warrior received Gucana Uruti, Nkaka added, he was no longer permitted to return to the battlefield or command troops. “He became a highly honoured figure who could also represent the king in certain official duties.” As an example, Nkaka cited the campaign at Kidogoro in Bashi, in present-day eastern DR Congo. After the troops secured victory, Karega represented King Rwabugiri at ceremonies held to commend the soldiers. “From then on, Karega lived like a king: he dressed like one, was honoured as one, and no one was permitted to challenge his decisions,” Nkaka said, dating the events to around 1892. Nkaka further explained that Karega lit the spear shaft during Rwabugiri’s reign, after serving as commander of the Ababanda regiment at Gakoma. “Once a warrior received Gucana Uruti, he could no longer be appointed a commander. That status placed him above both battlefield service and military command,” he said. This sequence, Nkaka noted, is also confirmed by Karega’s war poem, Rwizihirwa n’umwasiro rwa Semukanya, a self-praise poem. In it, Karega boasts of possessing Umudende—the ring awarded for killing seven enemies—and Impotore, awarded for killing 14 enemies, but makes no claim to having lit the spear shaft. The poem dates back to the reign of King Mutara II Rwogera, who preceded Rwabugiri, further confirming that Karega received Gucana Uruti during Rwabugiri’s rule. Rwandan military tradition strictly prohibited the killing of women, children or fleeing enemies. Warriors who distinguished themselves were often rewarded with land to administer, cattle and other privileges. Before colonial rule, defending the kingdom was a shared responsibility. Young people were trained through Itorero to instil loyalty, discipline and love for the country before joining military units tasked with defending the kingdom’s borders and expanding its territory. While men and young men went to the battlefield, women whose sons and husbands were fighting remained behind, performing rituals intended to protect them and ensure their safe return with victory, thereby sustaining the war effort from home. Beyond warfare, Rwandan culture also celebrated excellence in poetry, leadership and public service. Kings, clan leaders and families rewarded outstanding individuals with cattle, land and other forms of recognition, reflecting a broader culture of honour rooted in service and merit.
