Veteran Rwandan singer Mariya Yohana will be honoured at a tribute event in Kigali on November 28, recognizing more than four decades of her contribution to Rwandan music and her role in promoting patriotism, unity and reconciliation. The event, organised by music production company Country Records, will take place at Glimpse Hotel and is expected to attract between 300 and 350 people. ALSO READ: Victor Rukotana bets on Gakondo music to take Rwandan culture global It will include a discussion session where young musicians can ask Yohana about her career and learn from her experience. Country Records founder Nduwimana Jean Paul, popularly known as Noopja, said the event was organised to recognise the singer’s contribution and show appreciation for her work. ALSO READ: Inside Rwanda’s 20 newly classified cultural heritage sites The company has worked with Yohana for three years, providing studio services. “She is a legend and a role model to many. We thought of organising this event as a tribute. It is a way of showing her that we love what she does,” he said. Yohana, whose real name is Marie Jeanne Mukankuranga, became known for songs that encouraged fighters during Rwanda’s liberation struggle and later helped promote hope and reconciliation following the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. Born in 1943 in what is now Ngoma district in the Eastern Province, she went into exile in Uganda in 1961. She began composing songs professionally around 1985 and gained recognition through songs including Intsinzi and Inkotanyi z’Amarere. In 2007, she received a Liberation Struggle Medal from President Paul Kagame in recognition of her contribution to the struggle. Speaking about her career, Yohana said Rwanda’s progress continues to inspire her to sing despite her age. “Rwanda started with nothing, but now our country has achieved many good things. That is a reason I am still able to sing at my age,” she said. She said she composed Intsinzi in 1992 after witnessing the determination of soldiers fighting to liberate the country. “I did Intsinzi in 1992 when I saw the heroism of soldiers during the war. They had started what they had planned, which was liberating the country. They were willing to risk their lives and had started achieving some of what they were fighting for,” she said, adding that the song reflected her hope that they would succeed. Fellow musicians say Yohana’s work has influenced generations of performers and helped keep traditional Rwandan music in public life. Singer Jean M. Vianney Muyango recalled listening to her songs while outside Rwanda before meeting her during the liberation war. “I started hearing her songs when I was still outside Rwanda, and we liked them. Later, we met during the liberation war,” he said. Muyango said Yohana had remained committed to Rwandan music throughout her career and continued to inspire younger artistes. Singer Cécile Kayirebwa, who has known Yohana since childhood, recalled that singing was part of her family life long before she became widely recognised. “We used to pass by their house on our way to school, and we would hear them singing. Her family were singers,” Kayirebwa said. She also spoke about the loss of Yohana’s children during the liberation struggle, offering words of support to her fellow musician. “I want to tell her that we are all there for her, and our children are also her children,” she said. Kayirebwa said she plans to attend the tribute and sing in Yohana’s honour. She also called on other traditional musicians to join the celebration. Singer Ibrahim Cyusa praised Yohana for creating songs that continue to be performed decades after their release. “She made songs many years ago that we still rely on and sing today. I thank her for making a way that we are following,” he said. Ange Ndayishimiye, a traditional singer who performs alongside her twin sister, Pamella Bamureke, said Yohana’s music helped shape her interest in Rwandan culture and influenced her decision to become a musician. “I grew up listening to her songs, and I can say that one of the reasons I became a traditional music singer is the music I used to hear when I was a little girl,” she said. Ndayishimiye said Yohana’s continued dedication to music and her country had inspired younger performers to value their cultural heritage.
