Tutsi
The Tutsi, also referred to as Watutsi or Watusi, are an ethnic group primarily found in Rwanda and Burundi, known historically for their cattle farming. They are part of a complex social fabric intertwined with another ethnic group, the Hutu, with whom they shared a long history of relative harmony despite significant social and power disparities. The Tutsi have traditionally been associated with cattle herding, which plays a vital role in their culture, economy, and social status. Their cattle, particularly the long-horned inyambo breed, are seen as symbols of wealth and prestige.
The relationship between the Tutsi and Hutu saw dramatic changes following colonial interventions, particularly during the Belgian mandate, which exacerbated tensions and led to significant conflict as the Hutu sought greater political power. This culminated in the infamous 1994 genocide, where extremist Hutu factions targeted Tutsis and moderate Hutus, resulting in the deaths of over 800,000 people in just three months.
Contemporary Tutsi culture has evolved, with traditional practices adapting to modern influences, yet they maintain aspects of their ancestral beliefs and customs. Most Tutsi are now Christians, but some continue to honor indigenous spiritual practices. The Tutsi language, Kinyarwanda, remains a cornerstone of their identity, alongside the adoption of French and English in education.
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Tutsi
The Tutsi, also known as the Watutsi or Watusi, are an ethnic group from Central Africa. The Tutsi reside primarily in and near Rwanda and Burundi. They historically have been known as cattle farmers. In the late twentieth century, the Tutsi were the target of a government-incited genocide. In only three months in 1994, over 800,000 Tutsis and their supporters were killed by rival extremists, though many estimations are much higher.
Brief History
The Tutsi originally were a nomadic group who arrived in Central Africa about four centuries ago. In the African Great Lakes region, they encountered a group known as the Hutu, who had been farming in that area since at least 500 BCE. Although the Hutu outnumbered the Tutsi by nearly six to one, the warrior Tutsi became the ruling class.
The minority Tutsi were wealthier and more politically powerful than the majority Hutu, but the two groups lived in relative harmony. They spoke the same language, shared many customs and beliefs—including religious beliefs—and intermarried freely. A mwami, or Tutsi king, led both groups, and both groups viewed the mwami as a supreme authority. The Tutsi raised cattle while the Hutu farmed. The Hutu grew food for both groups, and the Tutsi, who were renowned warriors, provided protection for their shared territory. When Europeans moved into the area in the nineteenth century, the two cultures continued to live much as they had for hundreds of years, with the ruling class made up mostly of the minority Tutsi.
The relationship between the Tutsi and the Hutu began to change after World War I (1914–1918). The area where the two groups lived had been a German colony, but after the Germans lost the war, the colony, called Ruanda-Urundi, fell under Belgian control. The Belgians gave preferential treatment to the Tutsi during that time, which increased tensions between the Tutsi and the Hutu. In the middle of the twentieth century, there was a movement for Ruanda-Urundi to become self-governing. This prompted further unrest. Many Tutsi, long accustomed to holding privilege and rank, were unwilling to give up power in favor of a more democratic form of government, while many Hutu were eager for a greater role in their governance.
A long period of conflict began in 1959 with a three-year clash known as the Rwandan Revolution, the Social Revolution, or the Hutu Peasant Revolution. Tens of thousands of people, many of them Tutsi, were killed, and the Hutu gradually gained greater power. In 1962, Ruanda-Urundi gained its independence from Belgium and became two nations: Rwanda and Burundi. In Rwanda, the Hutu became the majority to the detriment of the Tutsi, many of whom fled the country or were killed.
In 1988, a civil war erupted in Rwanda when a resistance army formed mainly of Tutsi attacked. In 1994, the presidents of Rwanda and Burundi died when their airplane was shot down. The Tutsi resistance army received the blame for their deaths. In retaliation, Hutu extremists killed more than eight hundred thousand Tutsis, moderate Hutus, and others in a massive genocide carried out over one hundred days.
Overview
Cattle herding has always played an important role in the lives, culture, and folklore of the Tutsi people. The Tutsi are so firmly associated with cattle farming that one type of highly prized cattle is known as Watusi cattle. The cattle that the Tutsi most often raise are known as insanga, which means "the ones which were found," because the Tutsi attribute the cattle's discovery to one of their early kings. Cattle with exceptionally long horns that grow to be as much as 12 feet (3.7 meters) across are called inyambo, or "cows with long, long horns." In the past, only the king owned these prized cattle, which were considered sacred. Tutsi herders who cared for the king's prized cattle were known as abashumba. Abashumba were often those who did not have cattle of their own but cared for the cattle of wealthier men in exchange for the opportunity to someday own their own cattle.
Traditionally, owning cattle was a sign of status and wealth because cattle were at the center of the Tutsi economy. The more cattle a Tutsi owned, the more respected that person became. Cattle were frequently part of the bride-price paid before a wedding in places where the Tutsi observed that custom. Cattle were bartered and sold but seldom eaten except for some ritual ceremonies.
Traditional Tutsi houses were beehive-shaped huts made of wood and straw. The Tutsi often surrounded their houses with fences of tall hedges. In the twenty-first century, Tutsi homes are more like those in Europe or North America, though they often have roofs made of corrugated metal or tile. Tutsi clothing has transitioned from the colorful robes and headbands worn in the past to clothing seen in most Western countries.
The Tutsi eat little red meat, though it is prized and used as a special food after rituals such as naming ceremonies for infants or marriages. The Tutsi diet usually consists of regionally available foods, such as milk and milk products, bananas, and local plants. Sorghum is a staple in both food and alcoholic beverages.
The Tutsi, along with their Hutu neighbors and another Indigenous group known as the Twa, or "forest people," all speak a language called Kinyarwanda or Kirundi. Some Tutsi also speak French and may have French names. English is most commonly used in schools, though not all children attend school, particularly as they reach twelve to fifteen. French is also taught in some schools, primarily in Burundi.
In the past, families arranged many Tutsi marriages. That tradition has changed in modern times, and most individuals choose whom they will marry. As in many Western cultures, the family name is passed on from the male. Some cultural behaviors are passed on based on ancestry or social status; for example, upper-class people are held to standards of behavior that avoid excessive expressions of emotion and require refined speaking.
In contemporary times, most Tutsi are Christian, though some long-held beliefs are still observed in rural areas. These include belief in Imaana, a creator with the power to grant favors, and abazima, or deceased ancestors who carry messages to the creator and can bless or curse, depending on how well their descendants treat them.
Bibliography
"The Heart of the Hutu-Tutsi Conflict." PBS Newshour, 8 Oct. 1999, www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/africa-july-dec99-rwanda‗10-08. Accessed 20 Nov. 2024.
Médard, Henri, and Shane Doyle. Slavery in the Great Lakes Region of East Africa. Ohio UP, 2007.
"Rwanda." CIA World Factbook, 2024, www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/rwanda. Accessed 20 Nov. 2024.
"Rwanda: A Brief History of the Country." Outreach Programme on the Rwanda Genocide and the United Nations, www.un.org/en/preventgenocide/rwanda/historical-background.shtml. Accessed 20 Nov. 2024.
"Rwanda Genocide: 100 Days of Slaughter." BBC, 2019, www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-26875506. Accessed 20 Nov. 2024.
"A Short History of Watusi Cattle." World Watusi Association, 17 May 2012, www.watusi.org/2012/05/17/a-short-history-of-watusi-cattle. Accessed 20 Nov. 2024.
"Tutsi." Countries and Their Cultures, www.everyculture.com/wc/Brazil-to-Congo-Republic-of/Tutsi.html. Accessed 5 Oct. 2017.