Clientship In Mid-Nineteenth-Centery KINYAGA
Of those patron-client ties that did exist during this period, three major types can be distinguished: direct clientship to the king, umuheto clientship, and land clientship. In subsequent periods, umuheto was abolished, land clientship was substantially altered, and direct clientship…
Patron-Client Politics:Early Clientship
The natureof clientship in Rwanda has been the focus of a long-standing debate on the characteristics of Rwanda’s precolonial political system. Most analysts agree that patron–client ties were politically important in the Rwandan state. These analysts disagree, however, on just…
The Reassertion Of Central Control
Towardthe end of 1931, the Belgian administration made plans to replace Umwami Musinga. The Europeans had found their efforts to "modernize" the Rwandan polity hampered by Musinga's stead-fast loyalty to ritual obligations and practices. The king was unwilling to adopt…
Ten. Freedom for oppression. Nationalism or social justice
The formation of political parties and independence were in the air by the end of 1956. In Leopoldville a group of Catholic intellectuals led by Abbé Joseph Malula, Joseph Ngalula and Joseph Ileo had issued a manifesto in which the…
Nine. Elite and counter-elite
At a meeting of Superiors of mission stations held in September1945 reforms of the catechumenate were mapped out. The period of postilancy was to last sixteen months, with two sessions of doctrine and reading per week. Those passing the final…
Central Court Conflicts
Inbroader Rwandan politics, the sequel to Rwabugiri's death was the emergence of an intense and bitter power struggle at the central court. This conflict, which culminated in late 1896 with a bloody coup d'état, affected not only the personnel of…
Administrative Unification In KINYAGA
When German authorities established themselves in Rwanda they embarked upon a policy of indirect rule, using existing traditionaln authorities to govern the country for them, supposedly without altering existing patterns of authority. In fact, the very presence of the Europeans…
European Competition Over Southwestern RWANDA
The death of Rwabugiri in 1895 plunged the kingdom into mourning for four months, and his chosen heir, Rutarindwa, assumed power. Meanwhile the royal court moved out of Kinyaga, not to return. The period of mourning was scarcely ended when…
Nduga’s Attitudes Toward KINYAGANS
As central chiefs and the royal court moved into Kinyaga the local population became sharply aware of differences between themselves and the haughty courtiers from Nduga, the Rwandan heartland. Attitudes ofNdugans toward Kinyagans ranged from mere disdain to complete mistrust.…
Kinyagans And Cultural Identity
As the previous survey indicates, Kinyagan society in the mid-nineteenth century was heterogeneous, composed of both non-Rwadan and Rwandan elements. It is not clear to what extent this heterogeneity was reflected in the cultural identity of early immigrants. For example,…