Celebrating the Arts

Throughout history, music and dance have been a very important way for Rwandans to pass down tradition and celebrate during festivals and simply as a form of storytelling. Since much of Rwandas history has been passed down without being written on paper, there are many beautiful ways of expression that Rwandans keep tradition alive.

Dance tradition in Rwanda is particularly fascinating. Young men in the royal court were trained in a form of martial dancing. This most famous traditional dance is called the Intore and it is divided into three main parts: the ballet of women, the men's "dance of heroes", and finally, the drums. Drums are an essential part of Rwandan musical history and are one of the more valuable instruments in their culture.

The Intore dance has been preserved, in spite of the fall of the monarchy, through the creation of a national dance troupe. It is also taught in school for younger children.

Another way that Rwanda's history has been preserved and passed down is through the beautiful baskets woven by the Tutsi people.

These two photos are preserved in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. My family was fortunate to visit last fall and see many amazing creations from this region in Africa.

www.metmuseum.org

In Rwanda, woven receptacles and other architectural elements were the most common form of artistic expression. The baskets were hand made from grass-like plants that were found throughout the mountainous landscape.

Among the Tutsi elite, basketry jobs were gender specific. Men would build dwellings and other large structures and women would build more refined woven artifacts such as floor mats and baskets. They would even give very small baskets to each other for gifts.

Depending on what was being created, the weaving method varied greatly. Some would use a spiral frame while others would use a frame and cover.

Sadly, the social upheaval of the 1990's led to the destruction of many earlier pieces of art throughout history. But there is currently a great movement across Rwanda to re-develop the arts. Many different organizations are encouraging peaceful problem solving through artistic expression, ie. painting, music, and sculpture. Inemaartscenter.com is a wonderful place to find some of the current art culture in Rwanda, which I believe is a necessary tool used for healing the wounds of war.