Tribes in Rwanda
Rwanda is known as the “Land of a Thousand Hills,” and their official languages are French and English, with Kinyarwanda as the local language. Rwanda, on the other hand, is a landlocked country in east-central Africa located south of the Equator and known for its breathtaking scenery. Furthermore, it has a fantastic location with abundant wildlife that can be seen on a Rwanda Safari, such as gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park and other incredible products despite the culture. Rwanda’s landscape is scenic, providing tourists with rewarding views en route to volcanoes and chimp tracking in Nyungwe National Park.
Furthermore, Rwanda is located in the heart of East Africa’s great lakes region, which includes Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Although Rwanda is a small destination, it does not lack in quality because of its favorable climate, attractions, and scenic landscape. To be well pleased is to take a safari to its destination it’s when you will prove right, why and how Rwanda was called a land of thousand hills. Culturally, Rwandans share cultural values such as patriotism, resilience, social cohesion, and hard work, among others, with Kinyarwanda being the common language spoken throughout the country.
Tribes in Rwanda
However, Rwanda as a country has three tribes: the Hutu, the Tutsi, and the Twa, all of which are distinct in their cultural aspects and serve as attractions to visitors on Rwanda safari tours.
The Tutsi
The Tutsi tribe is the second most populous ethnic group, accounting for 14% of the total population.
Tutsi are traditionally cattle keepers who raise long-horned cattle and are known locally as Inyambo. They have a strong attachment to these cows. While on safari in Rwanda, look for the Tutsi in northern Rwanda.
The Hutu
The Hutu ethnic group constitutes more than 85% of Rwanda’s population. They are one of the major tribes in Rwanda.
The Hutu have traditionally been cultivators, known for farming Rwanda’s rolling hills in a productive yet sustainable manner. They used to be numerous, but as a result of tribal wars, which eventually led to genocide, their numbers declined.
The Twa
The Twa is another of the tribes in Rwanda is the least ethnic group in Rwanda with a small population of people which makes up 1%.
The Twa are traditionally known as forest people who rely on the forest for a living and are skilled at traditional entertainment while on Rwanda Safari.
Currently, these tribes are not mentioned in public due to the pain and massacre that was left behind after the country was genocided. Locally, people tend to refer to themselves as Rwandans, eradicating tribal differences. Historically, the genocide in Rwanda that occurred in 1994 – Rwanda Civil War – is known as the Rwanda genocide. This took over 100 days of slaughter because many people were brutally killed during this crisis.
During the genocide, it involved a strong army and Hutu militia groups locally known as Interahamwe, which means “fight together,” and another motto known as Impuzamugambi, which means “same goal,” which they used to play a pivotal role in confronting the Tutsi’s FPRA.
During the genocide, millions of Rwandans were killed within 100 days, with the Tutsi constituting the majority of those killed. Please keep in mind that discussing what happened in Rwanda can land you in jail because it is considered abominable in the country. Furthermore, it appears to be illegal to speak about ethnicity, which is very provocative to what happened among Rwanda’s sub-tribes. It is referred to as the crime of division in Rwanda’s penal code.
