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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