The Rwandan (hairdresser) Experience and much more to muse about…

Looking back is sometimes a difficult task especially when there is an amount of occurrences which are not easy to rank.

Last Sunday Itorero Abatarutwa was showing the world what progress they made after six weeks of urban (contemporary) dance training and according to the reactions we got during and after the show we succeeded nicely. It is still a difficult task to bring people to an open air space on Sunday afternoon to look at something that despite a lot of explanations feels a bit weird compared to what is on the menu on every wedding and ceremony but I think that slowly people get used to it and at the end it’s like an unknown meal; you taste a bit and a bit more and even a bit more and at a certain moment you’ve got it. 

Waking up the next morning for the first time in six weeks without having to prepare to go to Kanombe. Life is not fair as I have to go to a meeting with the General Manager of the Rwandan Museums. Lucky I, before going there, I regaled myself on the most fabulous hairdresser visit I had since at least forty years. One hour of sheer delight for the price of an eye wink. Gentlemen if you ever go to Kigali I will tell you the address; I’m sure you will renew the experience every week. All the hairdressers I visited all those years should be obliged to do an apprenticeship over there. I will not reveal the details, the secrets…. Go for the experience yourself… seen the price, a part of your ticket is partially paid.  If I’m paying twenty euros to get almost thrown out after ten minutes in NL, I had this magical treatment for two euros for one hour…

The meeting was short, to the point. Someone tried to convince me that nothing was free anymore in this world. I agree… except the air I inhaled during all those weeks at the outer premises of the Presidential Palace Museum in Kanombe, that air I will never pay for. It is clear that Abatarutwa and I have to sign a MOU so we never have that everlasting discussion anymore about that famous Shakespeare saying… to pay or not to pay…   

Also in that part of the world you meet people who are blind for their environment. Who are still thinking that when you don’t have anything except your talent you can use that talent as a magician who change nothing into hard cash.  I invite them to try. I never succeeded but who knows one day that miracle will happen. Let me know…

That evening was my final one before flying back what results into a last visit with the family to the 2 Shots Club for a delicious (fish-) brochette. A few days before I was there also with a few UNESCO-IHE alumni. The price of coming back every year is that those gatherings are less visited because I meet those guys also at other occasions, so it was great to see some at the show on Sunday too.

Tuesday. My luggage is almost ready and lightweight compared to my arrival. I decided not to pack myself with all kinds of souvenirs. Believe me, just go to Rwanda and meet people, not monkeys, or if you want, look for monkeys too but choose people first. You will have the experience of a lifetime (don’t forget the hairdresser, lol). Rwanda is clean, safe and that is what people expect from a government of a country, to live in peace without fear. There is still a long way to go but go and breathe the Rwandan miracle.

In the afternoon I had a meeting with the Minister of State in charge of Technical & Vocational Education and training. The meeting was fruitful, to the point and we fixed us a clear deadline regarding the start of a vocational school for dance. It is our deliberate choice to also involve the people of l ‘Ecole des Sables from Senegal which I believe being the experts about African traditional and contemporary dance.

About my role in the process, I have still to think about that; I wrote the blueprint about the professionalization of dance in Rwanda through a vocational education system. It was well received on all levels. Now it’s time for implementation. 

Sunday, after the show I had dinner with my other Rwandan family. The parents and brothers and sisters of Joselyne, my ‘protégée’, talented dancer and one of the pillars of the Abatarutwa company (together with Shaliffa, Ada and for sure Mary Mbabazi). It was very pleasant to spend time with them and I’m sorry we couldn’t do it more. As I told before, if everyone on this planet should take care of someone else we should live in a much better world. Sometimes people are looking at me as if I’m Jesus when I say this, be assured, I’m not, but some are chanting this weekly or even daily  in church and I try to do it, just do it.

So here I am now. Since my arrival in bed with the remains of a food intoxication I got on the plane. Btw, nothing but praise for the blue armada. I’m worried about what is going on in that old 59+ body. I hope I will know something more tomorrow because this is not what I had in mind at my return.

Well one major news item is that two of our best dancers, Ada and Joselyne are both pre-selected for a professional dance education in Senegal. We submitted both their candidacy and both are chosen.

There is still a long way to go before my dream becomes true but I wish to thank all those who day by day are collaborating to this process in Rwanda and outside, My Rwandan families and friends. Egide and Francoise and kids who were bearing my sometimes rigid behavior for six weeks wondering who is that man that leaves in the morning, returns in the evening, refusing to eat and goes to bed because too tired to open his mouth. Jocelyne’s parents and family who don’t know how to judge that ‘poor’ muzungu apart that I make their daughter dance and dance and dance…  Mary Mbabazi and family who probably think they did something wrong to the gods to experience Guy from ten am till five pm day after day after day after day.

I know for sure now that Rwanda is the place I would love to retire and if possible to contribute first a bit to the creation of a vocational dance education. In this perspective I think it should be wise that at my next visit I would live alone for a while, doing my groceries and my cooking, live amid the Rwandans and not only experience the luxury of having my own premises at my friend’s house. I can only hope they will understand and help me to reach that next stage.

Kigali, January 13 2015

Delft, January 17 2015.

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Monsieur Paul

Many titles for this newsletter were reviewed the last couple of weeks but today while crossing the streets of Kigali I decided to give it this subtle title, Monsieur Paul. Maligned by some and worshiped by others I am just a fan, not a fan known as a groupie but rather as an admirer. Everyday I’m experiencing with my eyes and my veins what Monsieur Paul has done for this country and every day I’m happy that I can, albeit modestly, contribute a bit to this story. Monsieur Paul did not do it on his own, he did not do it alone; he guided millions of Rwandans to do it in a way he thought it would be good for this little country with the big heart in the heart of Africa as an example for all the African countries still suffering from the remains of a badly designed map produced by the old Europeans. What if the invaders from Europe wouldn’t have traveled the seas? How would Africa look today?  And the same thought crossed my mind thinking about Latin America. We will never know but think about it for a few seconds… no it’s not science fiction!
Despite the need to write and to inform, the last weeks were so busy that at the end of the day I almost collapsed. For a few days I can enjoy a certain degree of rest before the final run to the presentation next Sunday. My health was not on its best the last week but fortunately the climate helps these old bones to overcome turbulences. And with a little help from the friends the mind can reboot.
Two weeks ago Catherine arrived, and meanwhile left again. At the start she was not supposed to teach a lot and came mainly to enjoy Christmas holidays but after one session with the dancers she wanted to continue and she did till the last day with a small interruption for the Christmas Days. We enjoyed this small break with the family in a sun-full and warm Gisenyi; spending hours at the lake with good food and spectacular views. Unfortunately we had to leave paradise on Sunday afternoon because of an invitation that could not be refused, being the guest of honor at the celebration of the 7th anniversary of the Abatarutwa company. 
My days consist mainly to leave the house at 9.30 am, teaching from 10.00 12.00 the youngsters of the company, a small lunch with the dancers prepared by the leading staff, 12.30 - 14.00 rehearsing Libertango Africa, and from 14.00 - 17.00 working with the main group. Lucky I, Catherine was teaching the first part of the afternoon this last weeks so I could spend my time talking with the company management and other useful business.
There is little time to go out in the evenings apart from one single occasion that Egide took us to the Two Shot Club (previously the Culture Lab) to eat brochettes. On Christmas day I was in bed with a kind of flu.
Catherine and I attended New Year Eve late at friends of the family. The rest of the family joined us even later. It was cozy, drinking my first Heineken beer from a home barrel… our hosts also served good wines… so I forgot about the taste of the canal in front of IHE.
On New Year’s day I felt bad but we had promised to cook for the whole family and friends, 22 (read TWENTY TWO) so Cath and I invaded some friend’s kitchen and prepared a Greek salad and one of my famous pasta dishes, pasta with veal liver and a creamy pepper sauce. Food entirely consumed… Job done! Hope I will soon be able to show you the pictures of butcher Guy cutting a huge veal liver! Good food, nice people… we don’t need more for a proper start of a new year.
My so called rest these days consists of preparing the movies and the files for two dancers to subscribe for a training in Senegal, we made the records last Friday and we put all our energy to get them accepted despite a minor chance for it as we know that only 20-25 dancers from all over Africa will be accepted. 
On the program for the next couple of days, a meeting with the Minister of Education, an encounter with UNESCO-IHE alumni, organizing the showcase for Sunday. Preparing and printing the certificates for the dancers, running to the ministry to have them signed. Thursday and Friday general rehearsals. Probably meeting with the people of the Rwandan Development Authority again about a vocational school for dance.
This morning I had a meeting at the Ministry at 6.30 (yes… read six thirty AM!) to discuss the venue for Sunday and some minor arrangements… 

… There are two sorts of holidays, those you spend on the beach roasting in the sun; the others, the adventure ones…. Guess how mine are? 

Thanks, Monsieur Paul, sans rancune.


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