Ubumuntu is a Kinyarwanda word that means “to be human.” It refers to the quality of being humane, to care about others, being generous and kind, and to show empathy by recognizing the humanity of others. The symbol of ubumuntu is a heart formed by two people embracing, connected to the world. A geometric design is used to create the traditional Rwandan imigongo1 art, made by genocide widows that have come together to move forward, beyond their tragic pasts. In a post-genocide Rwanda, “embracing the spirit of ubumuntu is part of an ongoing, generations-long healing and reconciliation process…Recognizing each other’s humanity is at the heart of this way of life2.”
In the wake of the tragedy of the genocide against the Tutsi in 1994, the people of Rwanda have found a way to remember each other’s humanity. They no longer differentiate between Hutu and Tutsi but identify with the collective Rwandan identity. To be a Rwandan, it is essential to embrace ubumuntu, but that was not always the case. Prior to the genocide, the divisive propaganda promoted by the government caused the people to lose sight of each other’s humanity, allowing perpetrators to dehumanize and exterminate an estimated 1,000,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus. It has since been said by social scientists that, “genocide is the antithesis to ubumuntu. Ubumuntu begets humanity while genocide extinguishes humanity3.”
It has been an uphill climb for Rwanda to get where it is today, 28 years after the 1994 genocide. Through the help of organizations that facilitate reconciliation and peace building within communities, victims and perpetrators of the genocide can live side by side. Together, women and girls weave baskets they call “handicrafts of peace” and can talk about how the genocide affected them. Men work alongside each other to prepare the ground and plant crops, improving their families’ lives through food. On the last Saturday of each month, the government requires all capable individuals in a village sector to come together for a community workday. This community service is called umuganda4, a Kinyarwanda word that means “coming together in common purpose.” What all these examples have in common is that they build trust between neighbors and strengthens the relationships of people within their communities.
Our USU study abroad group was given the opportunity to participate in a local service project outside of the official service day, which was organized by the IRDP, the Institute of Research and Dialogue for Peace5. The project was building a raised garden bed for one of the families in the village to sustain themselves with food. Getting started was a bit of a challenge as we struggled to understand exactly what the project was without a Kinyarwandan translator. Fortunately there was a French speaker in our midst to help us come together for the common purpose of building a garden. Once a blueprint for the raised garden bed was drawn, everyone got started; some hoed the ground, the local men carved wooden stakes with their machetes, others used razor blades to repurpose old charcoal bags to hold the soil, and some kept the curious onlooking children entertained with a games of “red light, green light,” “Down by the Banks” hand clapping game, and “duck, duck, goose.”
Smiles were exchanged and laughter is a universal language that can fill the silence where conversation would be. Following the guidance of the experts, we were able to use our hands and make something out of seemingly nothing. I was in awe of the resourcefulness and efficiency of our new Rwandan friends and their ingenious use of basic tools and scarce materials. Nothing feels more human than getting dirt on your hands and sweating with strangers as the sun beats down on you while working towards the same end. I left that garden feeling satisfied with the human connection and cooperation that came about from our service project.
Besides the aforementioned examples, you can see ubumuntu taking place all around you, and it’s not always in the grand gestures, but in the little things. Ubumuntu is helping someone push their heavy cargo bicycle up the steepest part of the hill, or being patient with a foreigner at the market, and it’s in the hearts of genocide survivors who chose to forgive the perpetrators that took everything from them. A man named Innocent Musore, the founder of GER6, the Global Initiative for Environment and Reconciliation said, “Peace requires a holistic approach.” A person must be at peace with themselves before they can be at peace with others. The word “peace” can be replaced with various words to encourage living with ubumuntu. Seeds of peace, harmony, and ubumuntu are sown in the hearts of individuals and are spread to their families, friends, and neighbors, until the whole community, and eventually the world, is touched by the positive effects of humanity.
Let us all take a page out of Rwanda’s book and embrace ubumuntu. Just think what would happen in we made the effort to see one another’s humanity in our everyday interactions. We could make our communities, nations, and world a better place to be a part of. Ubumuntu transcends the bounds of political parties, religious affiliation, level of education, demographics, and physical geography. Ubumuntu is everywhere, we just have to remember to look for it, embrace it, and watch it grow. By embracing ubumuntu, we can make the world a kinder, more loving, compassionate, and inclusive place. Keep in mind, “love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive.7”
Denisyuk, Yulia. “From the Ashes: Rwanda's Traditional IMIGONGO Art Is on the Rise.” AFAR. AFAR, June 30, 2021. https://www.afar.com/magazine/from-the-ashes-rwandas-traditional-imigongo-art-is-on-the-rise.
Fortgang, Jillian Gross. “7 Things to Know about Volunteering in Rwanda.” GoAbroad.com, December 19, 2019. https://www.goabroad.com/articles/volunteer-abroad/volunteering-in-rwanda-things-to-know#:~:text=Rwanda%20is%20a%20community%2Dfocused,coming%20together%20in%20common%20purpose)
Palmer, Craig. “Ubumuntu : What Genocide Tries to Kill and the Righteous Protect.” Gariwo, April 20, 2020. https://en.gariwo.net/editorials/ubumuntu -what-genocide-tries-to-kill-and-the-righteous-protect-22049.html.
Fortgang, Jillian Gross. “7 Things to Know about Volunteering in Rwanda.” GoAbroad.com, December 19, 2019. https://www.goabroad.com/articles/volunteer-abroad/volunteering-in-rwanda-things-to-know#:~:text=Rwanda%20is%20a%20community%2Dfocused,coming%20together%20in%20common%20purpose)
“Institute of Research and Dialogue for Peace.” Welcome to the Official IRDP website: https://www.irdp.rw/
Musore, Innocent. “GER: Supporting the Process of Peace Building and Community Development in Rwanda.” 2022. https://globalr.org/.
Bookmark at Kigali International Airport Ubumuntu Store
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