Rwanda has a long history and rich culture. The existence of such history usually manifests itself in many ways – in art, music and literature, and in material culture and other physical evidence. These are the things that link the present to the past and the future. They are the representation of the traditions, continuity and nationhood of a people. In this sense, they account for its character and identity. Rwandan music and dance are noted for their elegance and will no doubt endure, although there is an onslaught on their uniqueness from other cultures. The literature too exists, but remains largely oral. Rwandan basketry is world renowned. Pottery too once flourished in a utilitarian form. It has since changed to a purely ornamental sort that is not uniquely Rwandan. However, as regards other forms of material culture and sites of historical heritage, there is a disturbing invisibility. For instance, there are hardly any monuments to mark key national events or to celebrate important personalities in the history of the country. There is no landmark architecture as evidence of our settled progression over the ages. Historical sites do not seem to have been preserved for posterity. This apparent absence of material evidence of our past would seem to suggest that we have no history. We do and sites to prove it exist – perhaps not to the same grandeur as the pyramids of Egypt or the Great Zimbabwe ruins. Still they do, only that they are known to few people – mostly the local population, cultural experts and enthusiasts. The rest of us, and especially young people, remain largely ignorant of their existence. Yet, as has been pointed out, they are important pillars in our history and inform the national spirit. There must be, for example, sites of famous battles fought in the expansion or defence of Rwanda. Such important places are told in the oral literature, but where are they and what marks them? Similarly, there must be important coronation sites or those linked with coronation rituals. These, too, have they simply disappeared without trace, and with them, a bit of our history? The independence struggle and post-independence period must have certain landmarks, even if some may shame us. Uplifting or depressing, they are still part of our history. Rwandans are religious people, judging by the throngs of worshippers one sees every Friday, Saturday and Sunday going to the different temples. In any case, don’t we appropriate God as our own (Imana y’i Rwanda) and claim he is domiciled here (Imana yirirwa ahandi igataha i Rwanda)? So we must have had sites of great divinations. Remember no major operation, civil or military, was ever undertaken without divine guidance often procured via various mediums. Equally, there must have been shrines in which God was worshipped. Where are these sites that speak of the God of Rwanda? Our folklore is full of references to famous persons and places of historical and cultural importance. They are part of the Rwandan narrative and are essential to the understanding of our journey as a people. All these – places and people – must be identified and preserved as evidence of our evolution as a nation. Where no physical reminder of the importance of a place remains through neglect or wilful action, something should be built to mark its relevance. In addition, this part of history and culture needs to be taught to the young and even to foreigners. It should not be difficult. We have done it before. Witness the sterling work of conservation of our distant cousins in the Birunga Mountains. Apart from the obvious material gains from doing so, this is also a fitting acknowledgement of gorillas as equal citizens to this fair land. The same has been done to other creatures with a similar claim to this territory. Take birds for instance. A canopy walk has been built on top of the trees of Nyungwe forest for people to have a bird’s eye view of the biodiversity of that part of the earth. The canopy walk, now surely part of our material culture, gives one a once in a lifetime top of the world exhilaration. Up there, looking at the world below, a person must feel a little like God and share his sense of immense satisfaction when he surveyed his handiwork after six days of labour, found it was marvellous and decided it was time to take a well-deserved rest the next day. It is possible to feel that sort of satisfaction today with the reconstruction of our historical and cultural heritage. It can be done as post 1994 proves. We have seen the building of physical symbols of our journey. National heroes have a home and pride of place in the capital. Museums and monuments of the liberation struggle have been erected. Even memorials to the most shameful part of our history have been built. But our history does not begin with 1994. True, our restoration as a nation does, but the history goes back many centuries and this should be reflected, not only in our hearts and folklore, but also in physical landscape that we can create. jorwagatare@yahoo.co.uk
