Rwandan customs

Rwanda (Republika y'u Rwanda) is a country in central and eastern Africa, with its full name as the Republic of Rwanda. It is located on the south side of the Equator in central and eastern Africa and is a landlocked country. It borders Tanzania in the east, Burundi in the south, Congo (DRC) in the west and northwest, and Uganda in the north. It covers an area of 26338 square kilometers. There are many mountains in the territory and are called "Country of Thousands of Mounds". In the capital, Kigali, the official languages are Rwandan, English and French, and the national language is Rwandan. The currency is Rwanda Franc (abbreviated as RF or RWF) 1RWF =100 cents (cents).

Rwanda is a backward agricultural and pastoral country and has been identified by the United Nations as one of the least developed countries in the world. On October 28, 2016, Rwanda was elected a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council for a term from 2017 to 2019.

Rwanda belongs to the East 2 urban area, 2 hours earlier than GMT and 6 hours later than Beijing time. Daylight saving time is not implemented.

Rwanda has a temperate and tropical plateau climate. Due to its higher altitude, its temperatures are lower than typical equatorial countries. Daily temperatures in Kigali, located in the central part of the country, generally range from 12 to 27°C, with small fluctuations throughout the year.

The country has a population of 12.1 million (2014) and a population density of 415 people per square kilometer. It is the country with the largest population density on the African continent, with about 83% of the population distributed in rural areas. It is mainly composed of three ethnic groups: Hutu, Tutsi and Twa. Among them, Hutu accounts for about 85% of the country's total population, Tutsi accounts for about 14%, and Twa accounts for about 1%. 56.5% of the country's residents believe in Catholicism, 26% believe in Protestantism, and 4.6% believe in Islam.

mountainous terrain not only creates Rwanda's magnificent natural landscape, but Volcano National Park is one of its most famous tourist attractions. In Volcano National Park, there are only more than 880 mountain gorillas left in the world. Tourists have the opportunity to get into close contact with mountain gorillas and visit the living areas of gorillas.

It also determines its social and economic development pattern in a certain manner. Farmers in Rwanda are scattered across tens of thousands of mountains of varying sizes, with one or several families living on one hill. People on the same mountain not only have many interactions, but are often related by blood. As time goes by, the mountain has gradually become a social cell and a unit of political, economic and religious activities. In the national administrative system, Shantou has also been identified as a grassroots unit below the county level.

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depends on the size of the hill and traditional living habits. The number of households on each hill varies, ranging from three to five households to seven or eight households. Every time there are one or two or three or four domed huts hidden in the banana forest with hanging fruits. Women work in the fields in front of and behind houses, using simple tools such as hoes and machetes. At every market, men will carry bananas or other agricultural and sideline products to the market to sell them in exchange for some daily necessities. There are generally no electrical appliances or furniture indoors, and life is very simple.

The simple life also cultivates their simple character. The most representative of these is the "Umm Ganda" activity. The word Umganda comes from the Rwandan language and originally means "help among neighbors in rural areas." It is a national tradition in Rwanda. For example, if a person wants to get married or moves from one mountain to another, he needs to build a house, but his strength is limited. People from the same mountain or several nearby mountains will automatically come to help. They have money and pay, and what they have, give out things and make great efforts. Everyone started to build the house together. There is no need to reward those who help. As long as there is some "Luguagua" wine brewed with bananas, everyone can drink it, and it will be enough.

This traditional selfless mutual aid activity among neighbors was later strongly promoted by the government. On February 2, 1974, then Rwandan President Habyarimana led some officers and soldiers of the Rwandan army to open land in the Nyarugunga Valley on the outskirts of Kigali, the capital, and issued a call to the Rwandan people to carry out "collective development labor". This led to a national voluntary labor movement on the last Saturday morning of the month.

The government stipulates that "Umganda" is an obligation for male and female citizens across the country. Whether they are the President of the Republic, government ministers, soldiers, students, and businessmen, they all have to participate in "Umuganda" labor. All shops were closed on this day and vehicles were prohibited from passing on the road. If someone evades voluntary labor without justifiable reasons, they may be arrested immediately. If driving on the road without a special pass, they will be stopped by traffic police and immediately arranged for labor. Many large-scale water conservancy and transportation projects in Rwanda were built during this movement, making certain contributions to the development of the country's economy.

Rwandans pay attention to courtesy and treat others politely. This national traditional custom that pays attention to etiquette always leaves a deep and beautiful impression on foreign guests. When they meet people, they usually shake hands or face to face. Young people often raise their hands. Middle-aged and elderly people often take off their hats and shake hands on official occasions.

Rwandans have the virtue of helping others. When foreign friends encounter difficulties, Rwandans who have never met each other will take the initiative to help and will not ask for remuneration. Even if the person being helped voluntarily pays them, they will decline politely.

Rwanda is also a country with a tradition of respecting the elderly. The elderly are the family members of nature, and the younger generation is always respectful to their elders. Rwandans also show special respect when they see older foreign guests.

Rwandans also have their own unique national costumes and dress codes in the workplace.

Rwandans are taboo to talk about the Holocaust and ethnic differences. When interacting with Rwandans, do not ask about their ethnicity or avoid talking about the Holocaust.

站图片位置Rwanda's diet is mainly made from staple foods produced by local subsistence agriculture, such as bananas, plantains (locally called "Ibitoke)", sweet potatoes, beans, cassava, etc. Most Rwandans eat only a few meat meals a month. Tilapia is popular among residents living on lakes or other areas where fish can be caught. Potatoes are said to have been introduced to Rwanda by German and Belgian colonists and are also very popular among local people.

Ubugari (also known as umutsima) is a paste food made from tapioca or corn mixed with water and is also eaten in many other countries and regions in East Africa. "Isombe" is made from mashed cassava leaves and eaten with dried fish. Lunch is usually an automatic form, known as "mélange"(meaning "mixed pile"), and includes the staple foods mentioned above, and some also include meat.

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If you eat out at night, the most popular food is kebabs. The most common ingredient is mutton, and occasionally tripe, beef and fish are also included. Many bars in rural areas will have sellers who specialize in selling kebabs, who will tend and slaughter goats, kebabs or barbecue mutton, and will also serve grilled bananas to diners to eat with them. Milk, especially fermented yogurt known as "ikivuguto", is a common beverage across the country. Other drinks include a traditional beer called "urwagwa", brewed from sorghum or bananas and is common in traditional rituals and celebrations. Commercial beers brewed in Rwanda include Primus, Mützig and Amstel brands.

On important occasions such as celebrations, Rwandans will provide guests with simple food and drinks, but do not provide dinner. At weddings and funerals, guests are generally provided with a piece of meat and a baked potato, as well as kaoliang wine and banana wine. The sorghum wine jar is placed in the center of the room, and guests can come forward to absorb it with reed poles. Banana wine is served in gourds and passed to the crowd.

When guests visit, the host should provide food and alcohol, otherwise it will be considered a serious insult to the guest. The host must take a taste before handing the food or drink to the guest to prove that the food is safe. Visitors often give the food they bring as gifts to their hosts after completing their visit and leaving.

Legal holidays forinclude: New Year (January 1), Heroes 'Day (February 1), Holocaust Remembrance Day (April 7), Good Friday (the Friday before Easter), International Labor Day (May 1), Independence Day (July 1), Liberation Day (July 4), Assumption Day (August 15), Christmas Day (December 25), Eid al-Fitr.