Let me start this first letter with one of the
fetish sentences from my hostess, Francoise; on reflection the catchphrase of a
big part of the family and after giving it a deep thought I guess it’s the
countries slogan… ‘In any event’. Anyway, whatever happens we do it, nothing
can stop us!
This can better be my motto for the coming
weeks also. I go for it and to illustrate what that means… After I landed
between the hills last Thursday evening and after the traditional proceedings…
dinner, unpacking gifts and finally taking up residence I had a rather quit day
till the evening. The welcome from the family consists of a dinner at the swimming
pool of a hotel enlivened with a band playing traditional Rwandan songs and
embellished with traditional dancers and probably the most talented four year
old little girl dancer ever seen. Rwanda has talent!
What is unimaginable in Europe and probably in
most countries of the world, I have a meeting with the Ag. Advisor to the
Minister/Director of Culture Promotion MINISPOC on Saturday morning at the
Ministry to discuss my teaching program with the Abatarutwa company and to hand
over my blueprint about professionalization of Rwandan dance ‘An attempt to
move’ and the ‘Agaciro’ movie. This country has shortcuts between its leaders
and its population and that is probably another part of the miracle that
happens here every day since twenty years. One of the important results of this
meeting is that I can teach again with the company in the Presidential Palace Museum in Kanombe, so we avoid all the useless displacements and loss of time
we went through last year. We will probably organizing a showcase on January 4
in le Petit Stade at the Amahoro site in Kigali. Furthermore we intend to organize
a meeting with envoys from the MINISPOC and the WDA (Workforce Development
Authority) and a few specialists to discuss the blueprint and implementation
possibilities.
Saturdays… wedding days and traditional dowry
celebrations… you can’t escape them and certainly not when you are considered a
member of the family. Thus it could happen that this muzungu was suddenly
accused of having refused a visa to a honorable gentleman from the future
brides family and I had to justify myself in front of both families. It was
rather hilarious to become suddenly a part of the traditional negotiations. I
invented myself a twin brother, a Dutchman even… and off I went, praised by my
clan.
The day ended at the groom’s family were I
finally met again, after almost five years, the man who is probably responsible
for my deep commitment towards Rwanda and who made me read the most interesting
books about the Genocide against Tutsi, Dr. Charles Rudakubana.
Sunday afternoon… visiting the staff of the
Abatarutwa Troupe, Mbabazi and Richard. It’s good to talk to those two
fantastic persons that I really admire because they are running this company as
parents, taking care of the dancers as if they were their own children… btw
three out of their four sons are in the company. It makes me feel humble and
proud to serve their goals. There is so much love inside Rwandan homes. The
same within the family of one of the dancers that I started to support last
year because of her talent but also because of her widely acclaimed personality.
As I wrote already several times, as an individual you can’t help everybody but
if every single person in this world should help another one, this planet would
look different.
Monday… ‘la grasse matinée’ there is no
adequate translation for it but I was in bed till almost midday and in the
afternoon preparing my first classes for the next couple of days, listening to
music, some stretching, surrounded by the kids. Neither them, neither Francoise
nor Egide, are questioning this odd behavior within their walls anymore, after
all those years they probably got used to it.
Just went into Tuesday… sleeping time…. I’m
here only four days back and it seems I never went away. Rwanda feels good.
This family feels good. I have a message for the dancers and for all of us here….
Let the hills inspire you!
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