02/04/2019
Bonjour les amis. Nous espérons que vous allez tous bien. Ça faisait un bout de temps et vraiment vous nous avez manqué.
Aujourd’hui l’honneur est au RWANDA.
Nous allons essayer de vous faire découvrir un des éléments de son patrimoine culturel qui est sa danse traditionnelle !
Dites nous ce que vous en pensez
One of the strongest pillars of Rwandan culture is the traditional dance, because music and dance have always been an essential part of society.
Known for its grace and outstanding drumming style, the Intore dance is popular at many celebrations, from wedding ceremonies to national celebrations and festivals.
The vibrant costume of the Intore dancers consists of long or short skirts, ankle-bands and head-bands made of different beads, headdresses with grass wigs, and small hand-painted shields and sticks.
The female dancers wear ceremonial clothing like the traditional umushanana, with a sash draped over one shoulder, worn over a long skirt and well fitted vest-like top.
The men have a more energetic presence whereas the women move in a gentle and graceful manner. Their moves highlight radiance, purity and kindness.
However, like it is in other cultures, intore is just one of the many dances in Rwanda; others include Ikinimba, Umushayayo and Ibihozo, among others.
The Intore traditional dance is unique, and that is in the way they dress and dance.
It is amazing and its individuality makes it incomparable. You can’t get bored watching them dance.
Rwandans use dance as a way of expressing themselves.
Rwandans used dance as a way of expressing themselves; they danced when they were happy or sad. It was also a way of creating unity in society, he explains.
Rwandans danced when they had a good harvest, when a child was born, when they had victory in a war, when they were defeated, and there were different kinds of dances to express all of this.
The soldiers would also dance for the King when they went to present their ideas to him, and when they went back home from the war, their wives and children would dance for them and thank God for helping them survive the war.
Rwanda’s anatomy was the basis of the choreography in its traditional dance; it portrays the structure of the hills in Rwanda.
Dancing was a form of identity. This was depicted in the forms of dance where people from various locations in Rwanda danced based on who they were or what their occupation was.
People from the East dance like the nature of their area, they sway and roll and also dance with spears and bows because they are cattle keepers and farmers. The dance is called gushagirira or gushayaya.
In the hills of Kibuye, Western Province, people use a lot of energy just like the energy they use to climb the hills; their dance is called inshongore y’abahungu.
In northwest Rwanda, their dance is ikinimba where people also have a strong presence, a reflection of the grand Virunga Mountains in their area.
a long time ago, women got married at the ages of 16 to 20, and because they were still young and naïve, the transition was hard, so people had to sing and dance for them as a way of comforting them. This dance was called ibihozo.
On the day of umuganura (now also known as Thanksgiving Day or National Harvest Day), specific dances were exhibited because it was one of the biggest days of the year.
Umuganura was a day of feasting, and giving thanks to God and the ancestors, not only for the harvest, but also for all the good things in life. The festival was also an occasion to bring together Rwandans from all social ranks in a bid to cement the social fabric of Rwandan society.
Aside from the fact that the Rwandan traditional dance conveys important messages and flaunts the beauty of the country, the dances also help instil cultural values in society.
They would teach the young how to be people of integrity. They were groomed to be courageous and ambitious, to be a true Rwandan.
Children would come together and learn a lot through dance.
Through Itorero, a cultural school where Rwandans would learn language, patriotism, social relations, sports, dancing, songs and defence, boys were groomed into men. They were also trained to be warriors; they would learn how to shoot and fight using spears and clubs. In the evenings when they were done with the lessons, they would dance.
Girls, on the other hand, were trained through urubohero, where they were taught to be good wives, and how to sow and make handicrafts. Lessons were accompanied by songs and dances.
Dancing was a big deal, it reflected proper upbringing and also created harmony in society.
