Iby’iwacu cultural village
Iby’iwacu cultural village : Along with the beautiful scenery and many green hills, Gorilla Guardian Village in Rwanda is one of the things that makes the country so great. Rwandan government, working with the Tourism Board, has made the country one of the top tourist safari destinations in Africa. This is true even though Rwanda is small and doesn’t have as many natural resources as its neighbors. The Iby’iwacu cultural village, also called the Gorilla Guardians Cultural Village and found in the District of Musanze, is one of the most intriguing new things to do in the country. Kinyarwada word “Iby’iwacu” means “treasures of our home and history.”
Iby’iwacu cultural village is one of Rwanda’s most important cultural sites. The Village shows and lets people experience all of Rwanda’s known cultural traditions, people, and events in one place. International visitors get to see what life was in a typical African village placing – the lifestyle, houses, traditional dances, dressing code, food, herbs and how the ancient kingdoms were generally organized. Tourists can learn how people hunted in the past, try their hand at making baskets or mats, or learn how to build things out of wood. This one-of-a-kind safari experience has won the hearts of many tourists who want to learn about the culture of Rwanda’s native people after visiting the city Kigali, seeing the mountain gorillas, and hiking a mountain like Mount Karisimbi. It’s also an excellent safari destination to relax and buy local crafts, gifts, and souvenirs to show off to your friends back home.
In addition the significant income and publicity it helps generate, the Iby’iwacu cultural center acts as an adhesive for Rwanda’s cultural/tribal groups like the Tutsis, Hutus and Batwa. This leisure centre helps bring people together based on their shared beliefs. Many of the local entertainers like Batwa seemed when poachers and the Gorilla Guardians Cultural Village provided them the chance to do something unique – Something that helps them earn a living for their families while keeping them away from poaching.
What to expect at the Iby’iwacu Cultural Village.
As we’ve already seen, the Iby’iwacu Cultural Centre is meant to be a place where people can learn and have fun at the same time. It’s also a safari destination where people can learn about the local culture. Visitors are generally greeted at the main gate by loud dancing and drumming, which is just a sign of the wonderful things to come. Let’s look in more depth at some of the activities:
Home visits and community walks.
The best way to learn about how different people are is to engage with to them, share with them, and basically immerse yourself in their cultures. When people visit the Gorilla Guardians Village, they can learn a lot about the Kinyarwanda culture and history through home visits and treks through the community. When you go to the Iby’iwacu culture village, you can sit with the local people in their traditional homes and grass-thatched huts. As you sit down, the older people will tell you stories and tell you about Rwanda and its long past. You will have the chance to see the banana and vegetable farms in the area. You may acquire the art of making one of the traditional foods or using a particular grinding stone to make fine millet flour.
The group trek is also a great way to learn. A Guide will take you to some of the schools in the area, where you have the opportunity to speak to the kids and learn about the education system. Visiting the many local art shops that sell paintings, handmade clothes, beautiful pots, and much more is an enjoyable activity to do on these community walks.
Traditional music, dance, and drama can be watched, listened to, and danced to. Music, dance, and drama are essential parts of African tradition and culture because they give people a sense of connection. Visitors interested in traditional music can listen to Ingoma, Amakondera, Umuduri, Inanga, Iningiri, Ibyivugo, and Agakenke at the Iby’iwacu cultural centre. Each sound is different, with different instruments and ways of moving. One example of this is Intore. This prevalent warrior dance is carried out by men with grass clothing and little bells encased around their legs while holding out spears in a mock battle or as a way of celebrating victory over an enemy. These young men and women will be happy and smiling and will want to ask you to dance or at least teach you how to drum.
Visiting the King’s palace.
When you go to the Iby’iwacu cultural village, one interesting thing to do is to see the King’s palace. This is an area that shows how old Kings ruled and ran their courts. Rwanda’s kings of the past were not only feared, but also treated with the utmost respect. The kings held the highest authority and would make options that had to be carried out without any further questions. All kingdom events and ceremonies took place in the King’s palace, which was watched by the king, queens, princesses, princes, clan heads, and other high-level guests. In Iby’iwacu, the King’s home is a true representation of an ancient African country. It has all the symbols of power and information about each clan. As you look at each sign, a guide will help explain it and answer any questions you have.
Meeting traditional healers.
Traditional healers were very important to their groups in the past and still are today. They were referred by people whenever they had any ailments. These traditional healers used herbs, tree branches, roots, and shrubs to help treat known diseases.
The therapists know how to use these drugs because they have studied them for a long time and built on ideas and knowledge that have been passed down for thousands of years. They are proud of explaining how traditional medicine endured by colonial times to remain significant in the modern times. At the Gorilla Guardians Cultural Village, you will meet some traditional doctors who will be happy to show you how the local medicines work. Since they use natural treatments, you can try some of the local herbs. You might be shocked to find a cure or relief for a disease you’ve had for years.
Visiting the Batwa community.
Batwa pygmies used to live in the dense forests of Rwanda and Uganda, where they used to hunt and gather fruits. Governments kicked them out of the forests decades ago and put them in new places outside the forest. Some of them work at the Iby’iwacu culture centre. The Batwa have made a big difference in Uganda and Rwanda’s tourism industries ever since they moved out of the forest and took advantage of the chances tourism offered. The Batwa have learned pottery, art and design, dance, and drama since they stopped poaching and stopped living in the wild as hunters and gatherers. When you visit the Iby’iwacu culture village, you will be amazed to see how they hunt with spears, bows, and arrows, and by setting up animal traps.
Taking local brew.
Other than the pleasure and calmness that drinking alcohol generates taking local beer in a group setting was a connecting activity within the African traditional social setting. This was especially true during ceremonies like those for a new crop or to welcome a new baby. To fit in and look like they were taking part in these events, people had to drink. When you go to the Iby’iwacu cultural town, you will learn how to make and age banana brew. You are expected to get involved and try at least a sip of the finished product.
