Rwanda is a country of cultural richness, dominated by traditional dance, drumming, theater and by the craft of making beautiful wooden masks.
Residents who live in traditionally village, Iby’Iwacu (means: our way of living), mainly have livestock and live from agriculture. Village is at the bottom of the extinct or still active volcanoes, like Nyragongo.
For decades, they renew their tradition of drumming and traditional dances. Children begin to learn dance when they are five years old. Village still have chieftain who will lead tourists through the entire series of events. Residents of the picturesque villages awaits their guests with traditional warrior dance also known as “Hero’s Dancing”. One can feel supernatural experience when loud echo of drums, singing and shouts of the warriors overwhelm their senses.
Legends said that they once sang for Gods but when they are bored with them Gods place dancers on earth and since then they are the kings dancers, on African soil of Rwanda. When celebrating king’s birthday, birthday of the kings children, or same mayor victory, dancers puts rich decorations on their heads to represent their strength and power.
This village is mainly oriented at entertaining of tourist and they have great profit from it. They still use power of authentic medicine man, who prepares traditional mixtures from surrounding wild plants and herbs. Magical words “Guma, guma” (means: forward) is constantly repeated while making some beverages or mixture which have energetic effect on the power of drug.
Villagers expressed great happiness and satisfaction in a wedding procession when all dance and sing together. With that ritual they wish all luck and joy to the married couples in their future life. They dance traditional dances, which in every person can awake the hormone of happiness to the extent that would not want to stop sing and dance with the beautiful people of the village Iby’iwacu.
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Author: Diana Mikloš
Photography and video: Diana Mikloš
Traveled by: Turkish Airlines
