Christian Influence
With the arrival of the Europeans, Christianity spread rapidly in Rwanda. We will not be concerned here with the impact of Christianity in terms of the introduction of egalitarian and individualistic ideas. The catholic missionaries were the first to arrive…
The White Fathers’ Mission in Rwanda II
An Overview II It seems likely that lineages from the Singa, Sindi, Zigaba, Gesera, Banda, Cyaba and Ungura clans, through a combination of land ownership and ritual expertise, managed to impose themselves on settlers from diverse clans to form small…
The White Fathers’ Mission in Rwanda I
An Overview I The White Fathers in Rwanda confronted two acute problems: a feudal stratification of society in which the ruling class was anti-Christian, and regional variation within the State such that uniform mission policy was inappropriate'; Their initial recruitment…
The White Fathers’ Mission in Rwanda III
An Overview III Possession of cows was the first step on the social ladder that led into the land and cattle-owning class. A garagu’s humiliating duties, the nightwatcht bringing beer, accompanying his lord on journeys and clearing his nightsoil were…