Learn more about customs and cultures all over the world, from your fellow members of PTPI.
Names: Raphael Mugabonejo and Apiane Ndorimana
Country of Residence: Rwanda
1. Describe your favorite cultural tradition:
Raphael: My cultural tradition is very wide as it plays a tremendous role in defining who I am. However, as an East African citizen, from Rwanda in particular, I have deeply enjoyed how weddings/marriages are organized according to cultural norms. What is very fascinating is how families respect each other. Over 95% of women in Rwandan culture are not enthusiastic of the husband’s family. In contrast, men in Rwandan culture love at a greater level the relatives of their wives.
Apiane: My favorite tradition is Umuganda, a national day of community service which takes place the last Saturday of each month. During Umuganda most normal services close down, and the mission of the day is keeping our country clean. Everyone takes a tool (such as a hoe or a machete) and helps to keep the environment clean. This day has made Kigali the best, cleanest city of Africa.
The introduction ceremony at Raphael Mugabonejo's wedding in Rwanda
2. In your opinion, what is the most significant issue facing your country in the present day?
Raphael: In my opinion, the most significant issue, of course in terms of culture, is that there are speedy changes in traditions. These changes are stemming from cultural globalization where the main action is the media (mostly TV, Internet and newspapers from the West). Also, there is a deep tendency for youth towards westernization. Especially, the big influence is coming from the USA and Europe.
Apiane: In the present day it is delinquent young people without shelter to live in. They don’t have jobs to help them earn a living and then some of them decide to spend their whole lives on the streets.
3. What do you consider to be the most important holiday in your country and how is it celebrated?
Raphael: Christmas is the most important in my country. As over 80 percent of Rwandans are Christians, you can see everyone willing to celebrate in maximum that very good day. Even the very poor families make sure that there are new clothes and that the Christmas lunch includes meat.
Apiane: In my opinion, one’s mother is the root of his life, so the most important day in my country is International Women’s Day (IWD), which is marked on the 8th of March every year. Rwanda is a country whose Parliament is comprised of more than 50% women; a country where women have been empowered successfully. During IWD women get the opportunity to express their thoughts openly through the media, and also show the activities they do to serve their communities.
Raphael Mugabonejo and his family on their wedding day in 2009
4. Who would you say is your country’s most significant historical figure?
Apiane: Paul Kagame.
5. Which part of your country’s history do you find most interesting?
Raphael: Nyanza, the former headquarters of the Rwandan monarchy.
Apiane: The 1994 genocide has been like a mark of Rwandan history – if you asked someone about Rwanda, he/she would say “oh, that country where people killed each other?” So the post-genocidal period is the most interesting to me because it is the period in which if you ask someone about Rwanda, he/she says “hum, that country that is rapidly developing and where people live peacefully?”
6. What launguages are spoken in the country you live in? How many of those languages do you speak and which ones?
Raphael: Actually, there is one language common for all Rwandans, which is Kinyarwanda, but there are other languages such as French and English and there are also official languages. I am lucky to speak both French and English apart from Kinyarwanda. Also, as I was born in the region bordering Uganda, I can speak Lukiga and Lunyankole.
Apiane: The languages spoken in Rwanda are Kinyarwanda, English, French and Swahili. I know all of them.
A roundabout in Rwanda. Photo courtesy of Apiane Ndorimana.
7. What is the customary form of greeting in your country?
Apiane: During the morning we say ‘mwaramutse!‘ (good morning!) and the reply is ‘mwaramutse neza!‘ (good morning!). In the afternoon it is ‘mwiriwe!‘ (good afternoon) and the reply is ‘mwiriwe neza!‘ After a longtime without seeing someone we say ‘muraho!‘ (hello!) and the reply is ‘muraho neza!‘
8. What is the most popular sport in your country?
Raphael: Soccer.
Apiane: Football (soccer) and traditional dancing (Intore).
9. Are there any cultural taboos?
Apiane: Yes. A man is not allowed to pass the night at the home of his father-in-law. Genocide ideology is prohibited in Rwanda. Drinking milk while standing and even while eating meat is prohibited. And, telling a myth during the daytime is prohibited.
10. Do you have a favorite quote or words that you live by?
Raphael: “There are powers within me. I and you, we can change the world.”
Apiane: “Working hard with determination leads to success!” and “We need to maximize the effort we use to execute everything we are supposed to do in life.”
Gorillas in Rwanda. Photo courtesy of Apiane Ndorimana.
11. Where in the world would you most like to visit?
Raphael: George Washington’s place of birth in Westmoreland County, Virginia.
Apiane: Due to the fact that I was born in a country that is totally enclosed by land, I wish to visit places that touch water in order to experience the life they have there. In particular I’d like to visit the Virgin Islands, South Korea, Rio de Janeiro, Finland and Romania.
12. What is your favorite word? What is your least favorite word?
Raphael: My favorite word is ‘peace’, which is ‘amahoro‘ in Kinyarwanda. Then my least favorite word is ‘war’, which is ‘intambara‘ in Kinyarwanda.
Apiane: My favorite word is ‘kwitonda‘ which means ‘attention’ and my least favorite word is ‘umuruho‘ which means tiredness. ‘Attention’ is among the words that come directly from my mouth because things done by attention are most successful. For the second word, I hate when people try telling me that I’m tired because I never thought of having that feeling of tiredness. I want to always feel mobile.
13. What is your favorite traditional meal and how do you make it?
Apiane: Ubugali (Cassava bread). To make it you just boil water, reserve a portion of the boiling water, pour in the cassava flour, then pour the rest of the boiling water on top. Remove the pot from the stove and put it between your feet. Use all your strength to gel it and make sure all of the lumps are gone. To give it a nice shape so that is attractive to people, scoop it with a plate (typically a plastic one) and shape it into a round mound. Ubugali is mostly eaten with the hands, with a sauce of meat or sambaza (small fish) which are found locally.
14. What is a typical school day like for you?
Apiane: Thanks for this question. The school day here starts at 8:00 am sharp. From that time we go to class and have lectures or sometimes occupy ourselves with the work we have left. After each course we get a break of 30 minutes, then at 12:30 we have a lunch break. When we are back from lunch the climate is changed and sometimes it gets hot (in addition to being full from lunch) so afternoon classes are a bit hard. At 6:00 pm classes are over and some students go home by I stay in studio designing for an unlimited time and sometimes it is hard to differentiate between daytime and night.
