Firstly, I would like to say thank you to those who have added a comment or emailed to share reflections on this experience. As some of you can relate, each experience brings with it more insight to this world and more confusion to my position here. Secondly, because it has been so long since my last posting - I forewarn that this entry is long and disjointed as I rush to get down all of my thoughts. Unlike Claudine...I actually have work to do here...;)
I have come to the conclusion that at times I need to stop questioning and just be – to enjoy each experience with whomever I come across; other foreigners and local Rwandese. Friday night was an excellent example as we went to Ibis, the local watering hole for both the local and foreign people of Butare. We arrived late, after being out to dinner with our new friend Patrick, to find a band playing. The band comprised of local talent and over the course of the evening crew members from the French film joined the band. It was beautiful to watch two very different cultures, one of which greatly contributed to the dismantling of this country 13 years ago, play together on stage. However, as the evening continued, the French started to take over on stage. I turned to Claudine and made a comment and she gently told me to ‘let it go for the night’; good advice. The evening flowed as the locals moved tables and began to just dance…I was almost moved to tears as I watched them take pleasure in the music. Men dance with men as they tell stories and interact with each other through the songs. When the band stopped – we moved onto another bar called the “Safari Club” - the local 'club'. Being the only white female in the club – there was no shortage of dance partners. The differences between clubs in North American and Africa are based on the fundamental fact that dance here is part of the soul. Although it is very sexually charged – it is very innocent and pure at the same time. In North America you have to be dressed in the right clothes and be doing the right moves, but here it simply the art or experience of dance and nothing else. Our group left at 5:30 in the morning, exhausted after many hours of dancing.
There were a few insights offered on Friday from my interaction with my co-worker Patrick. While working on employee contracts with Patrick, he pointed to a name and said that she was in prison. It turns out that on Wednesday, during the gacaca ceremony [when locals are accused or acquitted for crimes in the genocide by the local community], she and her husband were singled out for their acts. Apparently they were accused by some of the locals for pointing out Tutsi to be killed by the Hutu. She is also accused of not seperating herself from the RTLM Radio station (of which she had shares) when it was broadcasting propaganda to kill the Tutsi during the 100 days of genocide. As I discovered on Friday night at dinner with Patrick, he finds it difficult to talk about the genocide as it brings back bad memories. We are slowly discovering that there is a lot of healing that still needs to be done in Rwanda. We also discovered that he has a great dislike for the French due to their role in providing arms and support to the perpetrators of the genocide. This was disclosed when at work on Friday a few members of the film crew showed up on campus. One of the French saw myself – another foreigner – sitting in our office and pushed by Patrick, walking into the office to make an introduction. I was taken aback by the behaviour and Patrick revealed, after a couple of drinks Friday night, that he was hurt and angered by the behaviour as well.
We also discovered on Friday night that social stratification is prevalent in this part of the world. Patrick, who tells us he is being promoted to ‘Director’ at the University, explained this. The beverage glasses were also on the buffet. Patrick refused to get one for himself and proceeded to make the sound for calling someone…”PSSST” to the waitress. I got up to get the glass myself and Patrick was very clear that because he was a “Director” at the University, he should be waited on by those in a lower social/economic position and that he doesn’t owe them any niceties in the process. Claudine and I struggle with this. We are not even permitted to get our own coffee or water at the University – we are constantly being told “we have people for that”. I assume that this social stratification was imported by the colonizers as the economic/social elite of this country take back their sense of power after being controlled by foreigners. However, as there is very little written history prior to colonization, we cannot truly know from where this class system comes.
Patrick also disclosed his concern over my having three cats. In a very simple manner he said, “you pay for food and hospital bills for these things – why not just kill them and then take some very poor Rwandese children home to pay for their food and hospital bills”…It was a very interesting point as Stephen Lewis makes this exact arguement in his book, “Race Against Time”; that the amount of money Europe and Japan spend on pet food in a year combined could alleviate African debt (I cannot recall if it was an individual country's debt or the continent's); regardless, I was struck by this comment. As I tried to explain to Patrick that it is very expensive to raise a child in North American, I began to feel ashamed of my own defense as most of what we think is necessary to raise children in North America is according to our own values. If I took the amount of money spent on my fostered cats, I could provide a very comfortable and safe living environment for a very poor orphaned Rwandese child compared to how they currently 'survive'.
Homosexuality was another topic that came up at dinner as we commented on how affectionate African men are with each other. Patrick refuted the existence of homosexuality in Rwanda and stated that IF there were any the total number for the country would be about 6. This discussion did not go much further, and there is little insight I can offer at this point.
On Saturday we ventured into the local market where you can purchase just about anything. Bags and bags of second hand clothing were waiting to be opened and put up for display in the various stalls. The entire market smelled like church basement, which is likely where the various wares come from. We are all too familiar with the clothing drives and donations made to "third world" countries.
This link is worth checking out as we approach the anniversary of Darfur:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/11/30/60minutes/main2218371.shtml
Here is a picture of monkeys seen last Friday am strolling through campus. They were a beautiful site to come across and even the locals stopped to watch their charades.
I have come to the conclusion that at times I need to stop questioning and just be – to enjoy each experience with whomever I come across; other foreigners and local Rwandese. Friday night was an excellent example as we went to Ibis, the local watering hole for both the local and foreign people of Butare. We arrived late, after being out to dinner with our new friend Patrick, to find a band playing. The band comprised of local talent and over the course of the evening crew members from the French film joined the band. It was beautiful to watch two very different cultures, one of which greatly contributed to the dismantling of this country 13 years ago, play together on stage. However, as the evening continued, the French started to take over on stage. I turned to Claudine and made a comment and she gently told me to ‘let it go for the night’; good advice. The evening flowed as the locals moved tables and began to just dance…I was almost moved to tears as I watched them take pleasure in the music. Men dance with men as they tell stories and interact with each other through the songs. When the band stopped – we moved onto another bar called the “Safari Club” - the local 'club'. Being the only white female in the club – there was no shortage of dance partners. The differences between clubs in North American and Africa are based on the fundamental fact that dance here is part of the soul. Although it is very sexually charged – it is very innocent and pure at the same time. In North America you have to be dressed in the right clothes and be doing the right moves, but here it simply the art or experience of dance and nothing else. Our group left at 5:30 in the morning, exhausted after many hours of dancing.
There were a few insights offered on Friday from my interaction with my co-worker Patrick. While working on employee contracts with Patrick, he pointed to a name and said that she was in prison. It turns out that on Wednesday, during the gacaca ceremony [when locals are accused or acquitted for crimes in the genocide by the local community], she and her husband were singled out for their acts. Apparently they were accused by some of the locals for pointing out Tutsi to be killed by the Hutu. She is also accused of not seperating herself from the RTLM Radio station (of which she had shares) when it was broadcasting propaganda to kill the Tutsi during the 100 days of genocide. As I discovered on Friday night at dinner with Patrick, he finds it difficult to talk about the genocide as it brings back bad memories. We are slowly discovering that there is a lot of healing that still needs to be done in Rwanda. We also discovered that he has a great dislike for the French due to their role in providing arms and support to the perpetrators of the genocide. This was disclosed when at work on Friday a few members of the film crew showed up on campus. One of the French saw myself – another foreigner – sitting in our office and pushed by Patrick, walking into the office to make an introduction. I was taken aback by the behaviour and Patrick revealed, after a couple of drinks Friday night, that he was hurt and angered by the behaviour as well.
We also discovered on Friday night that social stratification is prevalent in this part of the world. Patrick, who tells us he is being promoted to ‘Director’ at the University, explained this. The beverage glasses were also on the buffet. Patrick refused to get one for himself and proceeded to make the sound for calling someone…”PSSST” to the waitress. I got up to get the glass myself and Patrick was very clear that because he was a “Director” at the University, he should be waited on by those in a lower social/economic position and that he doesn’t owe them any niceties in the process. Claudine and I struggle with this. We are not even permitted to get our own coffee or water at the University – we are constantly being told “we have people for that”. I assume that this social stratification was imported by the colonizers as the economic/social elite of this country take back their sense of power after being controlled by foreigners. However, as there is very little written history prior to colonization, we cannot truly know from where this class system comes.
Patrick also disclosed his concern over my having three cats. In a very simple manner he said, “you pay for food and hospital bills for these things – why not just kill them and then take some very poor Rwandese children home to pay for their food and hospital bills”…It was a very interesting point as Stephen Lewis makes this exact arguement in his book, “Race Against Time”; that the amount of money Europe and Japan spend on pet food in a year combined could alleviate African debt (I cannot recall if it was an individual country's debt or the continent's); regardless, I was struck by this comment. As I tried to explain to Patrick that it is very expensive to raise a child in North American, I began to feel ashamed of my own defense as most of what we think is necessary to raise children in North America is according to our own values. If I took the amount of money spent on my fostered cats, I could provide a very comfortable and safe living environment for a very poor orphaned Rwandese child compared to how they currently 'survive'.
Homosexuality was another topic that came up at dinner as we commented on how affectionate African men are with each other. Patrick refuted the existence of homosexuality in Rwanda and stated that IF there were any the total number for the country would be about 6. This discussion did not go much further, and there is little insight I can offer at this point.
On Saturday we ventured into the local market where you can purchase just about anything. Bags and bags of second hand clothing were waiting to be opened and put up for display in the various stalls. The entire market smelled like church basement, which is likely where the various wares come from. We are all too familiar with the clothing drives and donations made to "third world" countries.
This link is worth checking out as we approach the anniversary of Darfur:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/11/30/60minutes/main2218371.shtml
Here is a picture of monkeys seen last Friday am strolling through campus. They were a beautiful site to come across and even the locals stopped to watch their charades.
2 comments:
Hi Carissa,
Just finished reading the 60 Minute interview and I realize how totally ignorant I was on what took place in Rwanda. It is amazing how the people can handle the past with such forgiveness and dignity.Would that happen in Canada? Thank you for your first person account of the present situation and providing the link for Immaculee's chilling story. Looking forward to your next blog.
A nice, rainy day here which is really needed.... take care.
Barb :)
Hey Carissa,
Just a quick note to thank you for taking the time to share your experiences! I look forward to reading all of your future postings. Keep safe and in touch.....Colleen xoxo
Post a Comment