A modern day Tutsi family
Purpose
Since Rwanda is a country that many American children will be quite unfamiliar with, it will be important to provide them with some information about the country as well as its history and culture so that they can better understand Odette’s story. By understanding the context of the story, the children should be able to better appreciate the themes of empowerment, hope and cultural awareness that are part of the curriculum.
Information to be Conveyed
It would probably be helpful to mention the following points when teaching children the history of Rwanda:
Geography / Location:
Rwanda is a country in the eastern part of Africa surrounded by four other countries. These four countries are Uganda to the north, the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, Burundi to the south and Tanzania to the east. It is a beautiful country with a lot of green hills and valleys, lakes, mountains and even some volcanoes. There are also a great many types of birds as well as mountain gorillas that roam free in big national parks. About eight million people live in Rwanda and the capital of the country is a city called Kigali.
Culture / Lifestyle:
Music and dance are an important part of Rwandan life. A lot of songs are about the subject of bravery and about people who have acted bravely in the country’s past. The people who dance to the various songs often wear beautiful outfits in bright colors. In the cities, a lot of different types of art work can be seen but out in the country, it is more common to see handicrafts on display like ceramics, basketry and wood carvings.
Early History:
Rwanda has a very long history. About 2000 years ago, a migrant population came from the west and settled in the area and this population settled into two different groups. One group, who came to be known as the Tutsi, was made up of a lot of people who owned cattle and it was considered the “upper class” although there were less people in it than the other one. This other group, who came to be known as the Hutu, were an agricultural people who became the “lower class” even though there were a lot of them. Unfortunately, the differences between the Tutsi and Hutu only became more emphasized during the period of European colonialism when Belgium technically ruled the country. Tensions between the Tutsi and Hutu began rising.
The Diaspora:
When the Tutsi began to push for Rwanda to be free from Belgian rule, Belgium responded by finally allowing Hutu to have more power so the Tutsi would have less. With the support of Belgium, the Hutu began fighting against the Tutsi in what became known as the “Diaspora” of the 1950’s and a great many Tutsi had to flee to neighboring African countries such as Uganda. They became what are known as “refugees”, people who are without a home because they have been forced to leave their own country. The Belgians did eventually agree to leave Rwanda, though, so that the country could have full independence which occurred in 1962.
Later History:
A terrible few months of fighting was sparked in April of 1994 when the Hutu leader of Rwanda at that time was killed after his plane was shot down near the Kigali airport. It has never been determined for sure what person or group of people were responsible. Hutu within Rwanda began killing a great many Tutsi, however, saying that they believed Tutsi were the ones responsible even though it was later proven that the Hutu had been planning to kill Tutsi long before the plane was shot down. Tutsi who had fled Rwanda years earlier began returning from places like Uganda and finally, in July 1994, the Hutu were stopped from fighting any longer. A great many Rwandans had died during the three months, however.
Present Time:
All the fighting in Rwanda’s history means that there was a lot of damage to the country which has left it, and many of the people who live there, quite poor. Many people struggle every day just to obtain what they need to live their lives. Yet, the situation is improving all the time. Today, the Tutsi and Hutu are getting along much better and there are laws trying to help keep it that way. For example, the two groups must share power within the national government. Interestingly, on the subject of national government, Rwanda has made considerable progress here, too, in another way in the sense that it now has the highest percentage of women in parliament (part of its national government) in the world.
Follow-Up Questions
The following are some possible questions that could be asked to stimulate discussion:
1) Does the history material just provided help you understand Odette’s story better? If so, why?
2) What do you think it would be like to live where there is fighting and war?
3) Can you see how someone could become a refugee?
4) Why do you think feeling empowered might help a refugee or someone living near fighting?
5) Would it be hard to stay hopeful as a refugee or living near fighting?
6) How do you think Odette stayed hopeful? Do you think her friends played a role? If so, how?
7) Is the description of Rwanda like you thought an African country would be?
8) Do you think it’s important to learn about and to be aware of other cultures? Why or why not?
9) What about being aware of other cultures within a country? Is that important too?
10) Why do you feel the Tutsi and Hutu didn’t get along? What would have helped them get along?
11) Does the situation with the Tutsi and Hutu remind you of any groups in this country?
12) Are there groups in this country that do not get along with each other? What would help them?
References
please see them here.
Pictures copyrighted by Jen Lemen.
