History, Geography, and Climate of Rwanda - Research Paper Example

?Running Head: Rwanda Rwanda [Institute’s Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 Introduction 3 History 3 Pre-Colonial History 3Colonial History 4 Post-Independence History to Present 4 Current Government 5 Geography and Climate 5 People 5 Population and Ethnics Groups 5 Languages, Religions, and Currency 5 Measures of Success 6 Culture 6 Customs and Traditions 6 Cuisine 6 Major Attractions 7 Current Issues 7 References 9 Introduction The Official Republic of Rwanda is a country located in East Africa. It is a mountainous region, located below the equator, heavily littered with savannahs, forests, and lakes. Most of the population of Rwanda is rural and consists of tribes and clans. History Pre-Colonial History According to archaeological evidence from excavations, humans occupied the country after the last ice age and by the 15th century; some sort of organization into kingdoms was seen. The earliest ‘residents’ are thought to be a group of Pygmy hunters and gatherers, labeled the Twa. After the Twa settled, it is believed that the Hutus, agriculturists, and the Tutsis also settled in. By the 15th century, evidence shows that the Hutu and Tutsi, both of the Bantu tribe, had organized themselves into states (Melvern, 2006), and thus the Rwandan civilization came into being. One of these states, the Rwabuguri, was the most powerful and maintained control until well into the 19th century. It expanded both geographically and demographically, spreading agricultural techniques and political control. While the military was never a strong means of achieving control, it was used at times against other well-developed states such as Gisaka and Burundi. Soon, economic disparity between the Hutus and the Tutsis became apparent leading to divisions. The Tutsi population emerged with a Mwami (king), who the Rwandans were made to pay tribute to and who controlled much of the Rwandan land (Melvern, 2006). Moreover, the Tutsis were given many of the important positions in the government. Despite the disparity in control and power, Rwanda did not see any ethnic strife in its pre-colonial administration. It was only when it became a colonial administration that relations between these two tribes, the Hutus and the Tutsis became contentious (Melvern, 2006). Colonial History Early 20th century saw Germany and Belgian colonialism in Rwanda (Cooper, 2002). Unfortunately, this was also an epoch where Germany, like much of Europe, had become fixated on racial differences and soon, they seemed to be favoring the Tutsis against the Hutus since the former were more European in appearance and more inclined to take on the Catholic faith. Therefore, the Tutsis were elevated to higher statuses in the administration and Hutus were routinely oppressed. Soon, many Rwandans started resenting Belgian occupation and formed secret organizations to throw out the Belgians and gain liberation. They resisted reforms by the Belgian administration and in the second half of the 20th century, Pan-Africanism culture spread through Africa and demands of anti-colonialism were made. The final straw came when, in 1962, the last Mwami died and it was believed to have been killed by Belgians. In anger, the Hutus drove out the Belgians soon, the Hutu Emancipation Movement gained power and drove out the Tutsis and killed many of them in revenge for the oppression they had been dealt with (Mamdani, 2002). Post-Independence History to Present The Tutsi refugees started their own party, the Rwandese Patriotic Front (RPF) and in 1990, the RPF invaded and forced the president to sign a treaty that stated that Hutus and Tutsis would share power (Broch-Due, 2005). After a mass genocide in which 800,000 Tutsis were killed and one-tenth of the population was wiped out (Cohen, 2007) relative peace was seen in Rwanda. The RPF invaded the country and put in place a government with representation from both Hutu and Tutsi fronts. The President was Hutu, and the Vice-President was a Tutsi. Moreover, over 900,000 people had fled Rwanda to neighboring countries due to fear and over time; they were brought back to Rwanda and given land and security. After Bizimungu was removed as President in 2000, Paul Kagame assumed Presidency. Current Government The current government in Rwanda is a healing one, trying to disseminate any discrimination on the grounds of religion, race, or gender, for fear of genocide in the vulnerable region. Geography and Climate Rwanda is a country located in Central Africa, right below the equator. It borders Congo, Tanzania, and Uganda and occupies 26000 square kilometres (LLC, 2010). Rwanda is a temperate country, and features two rainy and two dry seasons. It boasts a strong array of natural resources such as gold, methane and coffee, an industry that has paved the way for much of Rwanda’s economic growth (LLC, 2010). People Population and Ethnics Groups Rwanda has one of the highest population densities in Africa, currently, 11689696 people live in Rwanda, divided into three ethnic groups. The majority are Hutus (85%), who are farmers of Bantu ancestry. Another large sect is the Tutsis (14%) of cattle-owning heritage and the remaining 1% is the Twa, the earliest settlers of the region (LLC, 2010). Languages, Religions, and Currency Kinyarwanda, English, and French are the official languages of the country, but Swahili and Kinyarwanda (LLC, 2010) are the most spoken in marketplace and commercial centers. The population of Rwanda is largely a Christian one, with the Catholics being 57% and the Protestant being 37% (LLC, 2010). The rest of the people are Muslims and a small minority follows other religions. The local currency of Rwanda is the Rwandan franc, introduced instead of agricultural barter in the colonial times. Measures of Success For a country that has faced a mass genocide just 15 years before, it has a surprisingly low corruption rate and growing economy. Much of the Rwandan success is owed to tourism and coffee as growing industries, paving the way for investors and foreign businesses to set up in the region. The government has done a good job in securing the country and preventing any other ethnic strife and has continued to be non-discriminant in nature, while greatly improving infrastructure and water supply development in the region. Culture Customs and Traditions Much like other African civilizations, Rwanda is a country deeply rooted in age-old customs and traditions (Adekunle, 1997). While it does not have a history of written work, Rwandan folklore, and storytelling are famous across the world. Moreover, even poetry is a famous part of the Rwandan region. Another quality resonant with much of the rest of Africa, Rwanda’s festivals and traditions feature a lot of music and dance. Drums are very popular as well in Rwandan culture and both, men and women are seen to be dancing to celebrate weddings, childbirth, and success. Another important aspect of their culture is the skill of pottery that many Rwandans possess. Cuisine Rwandan cuisine is a thing of much pride in the region. It is based on agricultural produce such as bananas and potatoes. Since it is a region with many lakes, seafood is also a major part of the eateries. Their most famous dishes are Ubugari (a kind of pasta) and Isombe (fish and crushed leaves). Odd as it may seem, many people eat meat and fish with bananas. Ikivuguto (milk) and Urwagwa (a special kind of Rwandan beer made of bananas) in drunk in ceremonies. Major Attractions As mentioned before, much of the success of Rwandan economy is owed to tourism as a growing industry in the region. Rwanda has much to offer in way of attractions. They mainly include parks, museums, waterfalls, and lakes (LLC, 2010). The most popular attraction is the A’Kagera National Park that is host to more than 500 kinds of birds and species of animals. It also comprises of Lake Mungusera and the Rusumo Falls. Lake Kivu is also a fun attraction for tourists looking for water activities, and the Rugege Forest is home to some of the rarest animals of the world. With beautiful sightseeing and very agreeable weather, Rwanda is increasingly becoming a popular tourist spot. Current Issues The country has come a long way since genocide but several issues are still pressing concerns for much of the world today. Although the constitution of Rwanda states that multi-party system is in place in Rwanda, because dissent and vocal objections to the government are discouraged, many people argue that this paves the way for a one-party system because the other parties do not have a platform to show their dissent with status quo and so, they cannot further their plight. Moreover, another pressing issue today concerning Rwanda is that the government is often blamed for compromising and not upholding people’s human rights. Freedom of property, freedom of choice and freedom of expression are not practiced in the country. Moreover, there still exists a major disparity in the economic hierarchy of the country, with the poor being very poor and the rich being very rich. Another pressing concern today is the aftereffects of the genocide. Because so many people had fled the country, their re-installation in the country created major problems and setbacks. For one, the country, small as it was, was unable to handle this sudden injection of people. Nearly a million people came back to the country, and hospitals, schools and other necessities were short. People lived in slums and overpopulation paved the way for diseases and hygienic compromises to plague the country. Moreover, underemployment, discomfort, and disease made people resentful and angry, and many criminals were born, stealing, and looting official buildings to provide for their families. While NGOs and foreign bodies send aid and help in recuperating the state of the country, it will still be a long time before Rwanda can be on its way to being a truly progressive country. References Adekunle, J. 1997. Culture and Customs of Rwanda. California: Greenwood Publishing Group. Broch-Due, V. 2005. Violence and Belonging: The Quest for Identity in Post-Colonial Africa. London: Routledge. Cohen, J. ?2007. One Hundred Days of Silence?: ?America and the Rwanda Genocide?. New York: Rowman & Littlefield. Cooper, F. 2002. Africa since 1940: The Past of the Present. London: Cambridge University Press. Llc, B. ?2010. Rwanda Geography?: ?Butare, Kagera River, Cyangugu, Rwamagana, Kibuye, Ruhengeri, Byumba, Gitarama, Rwanda, Nyanza, Rwanda, Southern Province?. New York: General Books LLC. Mamdani, M. ?2002. When Victims Become Killers?: ?Colonialism, Nativism, and the Genocide in Rwanda?. Washington: Princeton University Press. Melvern, L. 2006. Conspiracy to Murder: The Rwandan Genocide. New York: Verso. Read More