Second Sunday

Written 5 Feb 2017

Every other Monday morning we have a team meeting at our office in Kigali. I've decided to take advantage of the free lunch and bus fare by spending the weekend there. Primary goals- visit a museum/site in the city and go dance.

While my love of dance is known and- or possibly because of it- we know how that went. And I used my plans to dance as a antidote for my other plans. Those were to visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial. As I shared my travel plans, the little anyone knew about Rwanda was from the movie and faint stories from those 100 days in 1994. I had no intentions of asking anyone I met to talk about it. At all. But, pretty soon after getting here I became aware of how pervasive it was and how many are still touched.

Making Friends = Meeting Survivors

In just a few conversations with one of my coworkers and a friend, both alluded to the effects of the genocide in their lives: one was orphaned, the other has his mother but she is now in a wheelchair. Both are fortunate enough to still have their siblings but lost just about everything else. I met another person this week who was also orphaned and left sibling-less as a result. (I was lucky enough to spend heroes day meeting his "family" at a place I'll likely spend as much time as possible, but that's a different story) At this point I did the math. The genocide was almost 23 years ago.So odds are everyone I meet, around my age and older, is likely a survivor. This sobering fact will likely help me hold it together through the rest of my time here. I can prepare ahead of time. I can see any conversations as a blessing since, now, if I'm lucky enough to be entrusted with them, I can expect survival stories.

I will return.

I ran out of time. The museum suggested 1.5 hours but I took all 1.5 inside and I barely made it through the timeline exhibit before one of the curators politely informed me of the time and let me know about the other exhibits. The staff there really feel strongly about sharing the history and let me know that I could see outside after they closed.

 I may not be the average museum goer since I read every note, watched every video, and pondered similarities to current events. Having already met survivors, I didn't feel I had the luxury to rush through the painful parts. It wasn't easy but it was informative. I felt it was important to start with the Genocide museum to appreciate the resilience and forgiving hearts of the people of this beautiful country. Based on the sentences given (20 years), some of the confessed lesser offenders are now back in society. Because of the community court system, many of the people they see know exactly who they are. And everyone is determined to forgive and appreciate forgiveness. There is a focus to be a united group of Rwandans determined history should never repeat itself. That is forgiving love personified. I'm blessed to have seen it tone and again this trip. To feel the weight and glory of Rwandans from within is my privilege and honor.

I thought about conveying this information with the usual even keeled emotion as other blog posts. But I decided that the subject is deep and emotional and my sadness, frustration and even anger are appropriate. That said, let's get real...

The Museum- http://www.kgm.rw/

It's a beautiful museum and true memorial- it is the final resting place for over 250,000 of the victims killed.

Inside

They do a great job telling the history of "modern Rwanda" to help provide a full picture of the country.  In a nutshell:

• All was well. There were 12 ethnic groups in Rwanda (not 2 or 3)

• Socioeconomic classes were fluid and more a snapshot in time than anything else
• Enter the Europeans (Germans then Belgians) with little deviation from the Imperialism narrative:
• Impose rule, culture and religion
• "Fix" things by adding permanent boxes like class and race.
• Use these to determine privilege and persecution.
• Teach (read "brainwash") the locals to use and embody their new labels
• So begin the problems. There were several violent outbreaks- really massacres- long before the Genocide. Again, note none of these issues existed in Rwanda before colonialism.
• If you're better at European history than African, then the Rwandan Genocide against the Tutsi could be (clumsily) related to WWII in this way. Years of Nazi style propaganda followed by a sneak style attack by a military and paramilitary groups against its own people. The result was a stomach churning level of efficiency with offenders being as much military groups as the former acquaintances, neighbors and friends of the victims. The propaganda was effective and mobs "sent messages" with all the brutality you wish humans weren't capable of.
• The information is detailed and there are poignant, raw personal interviews throughout. I appreciate the survivors for their strength in sharing their pain- and later- their recovery. It explains how community courts were set up which helped bring about organized justice- not retaliation- and closure as some were able to hear news of family members and in some cases even give burials.

There are multiple exhibits including a Peace room and a Children's room. My tears started within 30sec of entering the Children's room as it holds stories of victims and survivors, so I'll stop there.

Outside

A beautiful garden and memorial wall offer time and space for survivors to visit with loved ones in their final resting place and choked up visitors to gather themselves and appreciate the progress. I spent as much time outside as I did inside. It was necessary for me and greatly appreciated. I imagine the families and friends appreciate it all the more.