Organisation of Pre-colonial Rwanda
Senior 1 · History and Citizenship
Organisation of Pre-colonial Rwanda
Lesson 4 of 5
25 min
Look at these carved wooden pots. They are modern examples, made in the traditional shape. Before you read on, answer: what were they for? What does their careful carving tell you about how people valued what went inside them?
Definition
Subsistence economy: an economy in which families produce mainly what they need to live (food, tools, clothing) rather than goods for sale. Pre-colonial Rwanda's economy was mostly of this kind.
Definition
Barter: exchanging goods or services directly for other goods or services, without money. Example: a hoe exchanged for a goat, or beans for milk.
| Activity | What people did | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Farming | cleared land with iron hoes and billhooks; planted in the rainy seasons | sorghum (amasaka), finger millet (uburo), beans, peas, bananas, sweet potatoes; maize and cassava arrived later from the Americas |
| Herding | kept cattle, goats and sheep; cattle gave milk, butter and hides | cattle were also wealth: given as bride-wealth, gifts and rewards |
| Crafts | skilled families made tools and household goods | blacksmiths: hoes, spears, knives; potters: cooking pots and jars; weavers: baskets such as agaseke; carvers: milk pots and stools; bark-cloth makers |
| Hunting and gathering | hunted in forests; collected honey and wild foods | honey was made into mead |
| Trade | mostly barter between neighbours and regions | hoes, salt, iron, cattle, beans, bark-cloth; hoes, beads and metal bracelets served as measures of value |
| Season | Months (approximately) | Work in the fields |
|---|---|---|
| Umuhindo (short rains) | September to November | planting the first crops of the year, such as beans and peas |
| Urugaryi (short dry season) | December to February | harvesting the first crops; weeding |
| Itumba (long rains) | March to May | second planting of beans and other crops |
| Icyi (long dry season) | June to August | harvest of sorghum and other crops; the harvest festival Umuganura; building and repairs |
Definition
Imana: the one supreme God of Rwandan tradition: the creator and giver of life, believed to watch over Rwanda.
Definition
Kubandwa: the religious practice of initiation into the cult of Ryangombe and the imandwa spirits, through ceremonies of song, dance and offerings. It was open to people of every social category.
Worked example: reading a proverb as a historical source
A well-known Rwandan proverb says: "Imana yirirwa ahandi igataha i Rwanda": "God spends the day elsewhere but comes home to Rwanda for the night."
Imigongo is a form of decoration made in eastern Rwanda, especially in today's Kirehe District. Craftspeople shape patterns in relief from cow dung mixed with ash, let them dry hard, and paint them in black, white and red. The bold zigzags, spirals and diamonds once decorated the inside walls of houses. Tradition links the craft with Prince Kakira of the kingdom of Gisaka. In recent years women's cooperatives in Kirehe have made imigongo panels, pots and boards for homes and visitors, turning an old craft into a source of income.
Tip
Memory hook for the four seasons, starting in September: U-U-I-I: Umuhindo, Urugaryi, Itumba, Icyi. Two U's, then two I's.
Think, pair, share: Farming, herding and crafts depended on each other: farmers needed hoes, herders needed grain, smiths needed food. Draw a diagram showing who exchanged what with whom. Then discuss: why did cattle become so important for social relations, and not only for food?
Practice
Sources and credits
This lesson adapts CC BY-SA material and is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.
