Experience rich culture of Rwanda and community life

The Rwandan people have a rich culture that predates many centuries. Even with modernization this culture has been preserved and is lived by many societies in Rwanda. There are many projects throughout the country that give you a chance to meet the local people in a traditional setting. Beyond the gorillas, monkeys and primates you can visit a host family and experience their day-to-day traditional life, visit museums where the history and culture of Rwanda is exhibited through dances and folklore, craft weaving etc…

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The cultural visits are so important since people are also significant part of the park like the primates. In case of the best Rwanda cultural tours or the cultural safaris, you can opt to visit any of the cultural centres within Rwanda, and you can visit one of more like the Iby’iwacu Cultural village and is a non-profit making organisation that helps the reformed poachers.

These help in providing a good life through the activities like providing clean water, the health advisory, they offer Agricultural support as well as providing Education facilities to the kid’s that acquire Education.  There are also many enterprise projects that have been developed to act as a source of income to the families like these do arts as well as craft work, engage in community tourism, do basket weaving and after they sell these to the tourists to take home as token.

King’s Palace & Museum Visit

The King’s Palace, located in Rwanda’s Nyanza ya Butare district, was the traditional seat of Rwanda’s kingdom. This historical location was of key importance during the colonial era.

Rwanda’s Ancient Kingdom

The ancient palace has been reconstructed in Rukari and visitors can now explore the replica King’s Palace, built using traditional materials and methods.

Learn about the evolution of farming and building through the centuries, and then venture into the grounds to meet the long-horned cows, known as Inyambo. They’re beautiful to look at, with a stately elegance you don’t generally expect from cows, until you learn they’re part of the royal heritage, used in many important ceremonies. You can find out about the breeding techniques and listen to the amahamba songs the shepherds sing as part of the grooming process.

Rwanda’s Traditional Dance

Rwanda’s Traditional Dance is an integral part of Rwandan ceremonies, social gatherings, festivals and storytelling. Celebratory dances are usually accompanied by an ‘orchestra’ of drums and nine energetic men who enthusiastically provide the beat. ‘Intore’ as it is famously known is the most famous traditional dance down here and it consists of 3 components that are highly choreographed namely; the dance of heroes which is done by men, ballet done by women and the drums. Drums have immense importance and drummers usually play in groups of seven or nine. A set of drums is usually made up of the smallest drum which is a soprano, two baritones, a tenor, an alto, two bass as well as two double bass which are the largest drums.

Rwanda’s Cultural Beliefs

Recently the Long-horned Traditional cows, known in Kinyarwanda as “Inyambo” were also introduced because of the fact that cows form an integral part of Rwandan Culture. The cattle are also valued for maintenance of the Rwandan cultural heritage which includes use as dowry and gifts in marriage ceremonies and paying fines for various cultural offences. In Rwanda marriage is considered the most basic social institution and the pressure to marry and have children is quite high. Most couples today have the leverage to select their own mates unlike in the past though family approval is still expected. Christianity has become a central part of the country with over two thirds of Rwandans Christians, mainly Catholic although smaller evangelical churches are getting popular of late.

Rwandan Language

Rwandan Official language is “Kinyarwanda“; the language spoken by all Rwandans as their mother tongue but almost every Rwandan speaks a little of one wider language mainly FrenchEnglish and Swahili. When dealing with their main trading partners in East Africa, Rwandans make use of English and Swahili. Well educated individuals however often speak fluent French and many migrants who returned home after the genocide from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania or the USA tend to speak English more. Rwandans are very pleased when visitors try to speak their mother tongue (Kinyarwanda). Speaking a few words like ‘amakuru’ (how are you) or ‘Muraho’ (good day) gets them excited.