9
Nature / Adventure
9
Culture / Life
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Activities
- Culture / Life and people
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Brick making:
- Pure clay soil is mixed with water and covered with banana
leaves or grass for 2 days. A piece of timber functions as frame for the
bricks. After the frame has been filled with the soil-water-mixture, the
newly formed brick is detached from the frame with another piece of timber
and some water. After about 2 weeks of drying, the bricks are arranged in
a bread form called kiln, and firewood is lit inside the kiln.
It takes 5 days to burn the bricks and at least another 2 weeks to let
them cool down. Afterwards the bricks will be ready for use.
- This method of brick making was introduced to Rwandans in the
early 20th century by Catholic missionaries who needed the bricks to build
their churches. Today, brick making is a lucrative occupation, and a
number of small groups and associations have specialised as brick makers.
- Amahoro regularly visits the clay fields of particular brick makers'
associations near Ruhengeri where about 15 people earn their daily bread. Their bricks are sold to private and public construction
projects. During our visits a member of the association explains the art
of brick making and answers questions about the life of the association
members. After every visit a pre-arranged part of the benefits are handed
over to the association leader so that every member of that community will
benefit from the activity.
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Bee keeping:
- Members of various bee keeping associations produce bee hives
that they place in swamps or forest areas rich in certain types of plants.
Depending on what kind of honey is desired, these plants for example could
be banana trees or certain flowers. After 12 months, the honey is ready for harvesting. The bee keepers use a broken piece of a pot with cow dung
and dried grass which is lit by fire so that the smoke will prevent the
bees from stinging.
- Honey is an important means to cure a
number of local diseases, so that it is shared with traditional doctors.
The remaining honey is sold to local people and the benefits are shared
with the other association members.
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Traditional
healing, the Medical garden and the "Snake Man":
- Amahoro is in contact with two groups of
traditional healers which currently has 28 members with different functions. All
benefits accrue to the entire association, and whenever a member has financial problems, money can be borrowed from the common account.
- The Rwandan traditional healers use a total of 138 different types of
local herbs. Among the 23 diseases that they regularly treat are ulcers,
skin diseases like scabies, complications with the monthly period of
females, breast pain after delivery, allergies, snake bites, sexual
problems, and even heart attacks.
- During a visit to the local traditional healers you can learn about the use of
different herbs and certain treatments, or simply listen to the rich
stories of these interesting people.
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Fishermen at Lake
Ruhondo:
- People living around Rwanda's many lakes try to make a living out of
what these lakes have to offer. As an example, we co-operate with a group
of local people who use traditional fishing methods at the twin lakes
Burera and Ruhondo. These methods include the use of simple, self-made
fishing rods and hooks, as well as fishing baskets and nets. The work is
carried out either from the lake shore or from self-made traditional
canoes that consist of a single piece of wood.
- These people are eager to pass on their traditional knowledge and
experience and to clue somebody in the secrets of Rwandan fishing methods.
Highlights of every visit to these people are fishing competitions with
children, and a trip on the lake in one of the shaky traditional canoes. Apart from their work life, the local people invite to take part in their
leisure activities which include traditional dancing and music.
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Handicraft production (for example a local group in
Rwamagana):
- The production of local handicrafts is one of the few sources of income
generated through tourism at the moment. The formidable crafts are sold as
souvenirs in shops or at stalls in Kigali or Butare. Among the various
products are, among others, beautiful African wood carvings, baskets, pots,
saucers, old masks and swords, as well as the famous Rwandan banana leaf
cards.
- Some local groups (often supported by foreign development agencies) have
started to get away from the usual souvenirs. For example, a group on our
itinerary to the south-east of the country in Rwamagana produces elegant
table clothes, patchwork quilts, t-shirts and a number of other articles.
Their workshops can be visited, and traditional forms of craft production
can be displayed and explained. To buy some of their usually high-quality
items will help, not only the producers, but also their families and other
families who deliver the raw materials.
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Batwa pottery projects:
- With a lot of local and international help, various Batwa groups (native Rwandans) have started pottery projects around the country. The
production of pots and other items is always accompanied by traditional
singing, drumming and dancing, so that every work session also is a cultural event.
- This is what Christopher, the representative of the Pottery Project in
Kigali tells about the activities: "The Pottery Project aims to improve
the lives of Rwanda's Batwa People by helping them to develop and
commercialise their traditional craft of pottery, based on principles of
Fair Trade. A wide range of products is available for purchase, including
fuel-efficient stoves, simple terracotta pots, figurines, glazed and
ove-proff dishes. By buying these products you will directly contribute to
the incomes of Batwa communities, enabling them to pay for schooling of their children, buy clothes and invest in their own futures." For
more information, please click
here.
- Amahoro offers to visit the workshop of one of these groups in order to
witness the joy with which the Batwa sing, dance and produce pots and other items.
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Sustainable farming:
- Over the centuries farmers in Rwanda have developed their own special
methods of sustainable farming processes. Some selected plantations are
regularly visited by our groups, and visitors are always impressed by the
comprehensive thoughts given to the activities and the sophisticated
traditional methods used. Farming products include fruits such as bananas,
as well as vegetables such as manioc, sweet potatoes or millet.
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Traditional dancing:
- The famous Rwandan dancing troups are known under the name Intore.
Various local groups in different regions of the country have
specialised in performing traditional dances. Two of these groups are, for
example, the troups at Ruhengeri or Akagera National Park. Apart from
regular shows for the local people, special presentations for visitor
groups can be booked.
- The traditional dancing is one of the most important expressions of
local culture, and current issues on the agenda of the villagers are dealt
with in ever changing songs and dances. Some of the dancers use percussion
instruments such as traditional drums and bells to give the music more foundation. Also, the dancers have special dresses for their performances,
so that a variety of cultural experiences are gained through these shows.
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Tea planting:
- Tea plantations had been introduced by the colonizers. Today, tea is
one of the very few export commodities that Rwanda has to offer. Most of
the plantations are situated in the western parts of the country near Lake
Kivu.
- On our itinerary from Volcanoes National Park to Gisenyi at Lake Kivu,
we offer the possibility to visit one of them and to learn about the
planting, picking and processing methods. Members of a local association
are happy to explain their activities, and interested visitors will have
the chance to 'get their hands dirty', too.
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Coffee planting on Gishamwana Island:
- Similar to the tea plantations, coffee is cultivated in some parts of
Rwanda. The plantation that we suggest to visit is located on a beautiful
little island in Lake Kivu. Gishamwana Island is easily accessible via a
short boat ride from Gisenyi, and coffee is certainly not the only point
of interest for this trip.
- The local members of the COOPAC cooperative of coffee planters will be
ready to introduce their cultivating and harvesting methods. By the way,
Rwandan coffee supposedly is among the best in the world, and is traded in
many international 'One-World' shops as a fair trade product.
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Town tours, village tours and visits to local markets:
- Our guides are familiar with all the major towns and villages in Rwanda.
Special tours can be organised, for example, in Kigali, Butare or
Ruhengeri.
- These tours usually include visits to the local markets - most often one
of the highlights of every African experience.
- If desired, short visits to the homes of local families can be organised.
In the case of small groups, further experiences such as eating in a
family are possible.
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Genocide memorial sites, and accounts of this tragic
part of Rwandan history:
- Many visitors to Rwanda are divided on whether to actually visit a
genocide memorial site or not. Most people believe that such a visit is
mandatory given the tragic history. Nevertheless, a lot of thought should
be given to the desirability of seeing particular skull- and bone-filled
sites. Your guide can give you more information on what you should expect
from each site, so that you can take your own decision whether you want to
participate in a certain visit or not.
- One of the potentially more tasteful sites (if one can speak of this
under these circumstances) is the peaceful church in Kibuye. This place is
often preferred by many visitors, and your guide as well as some selected
local people will be able to provide more intimate information on what actually happened during the days of the genocide.
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