Faith Unlimited - July, 2018 - GOD AND COUNTRY

Author: SAFARI Dieudonné A. Master of Christian Counseling from Grace International Bible University; B. Master of environmental sciences and social-economic-policy from Université Evangélique en AfriqueUEA/BUKAVU in Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC); C. Bachelor of Arts in Clinical and social psychology from Université Espoir d’Afrique-UEA/Burundi Introduction Rwanda is one of the countries in Africa’s great lakes region.

Rwanda covers an area of 26 338 km2 it is one of the smallest states in the region behind Burundi. Rwanda is known to many ethnic conflicts between Hutus and Tutsis, which has led to massacres and genocide in Rwanda and within the countries of the Great Lakes region of Africa. Rwandans believed in the existence of a supreme being, called Imana (God). Beliefs also related to the survival of ancestors after death. The latter were divided into two categories: the socalled Ingabwa ancestors and the evil ancestors.

I. The conception of Imana (God) within the ancient Rwandan culture For the ancient Rwandans, the universe is totally dominated by Imana (God). If there were no temples or worship, the Rwandans would pray and thank them. They gave their children names that evoke various attributes and activities of Imana. Other designations, often used, indicate the main attributes of Imana: Iyakare (the one at the beginning), Rurema (the creator), Ruhanga (the one that makes something appear that did not exist before), Rugira (The existence) and Rugaba (The donor). Two attributes dominate in the literary genres: Rurema and Rugira.

Secondary attributes are mainly found in legends, proverbs and anthrophony’s. They emphasize both transcendence and immanence.

In this connection, an etiological legend accounts for the remoteness of Imana. Formerly, it was believed, Imana lived with the men following them, helping them and protecting them day and night. He was particularly concerned with children. And then one day, while the father went to hunt and the mother worked outside, Imana (God) began to keep the children, to caress them, to amuse them. Suddenly, on his return from the hunt, the father was struck by the sight of an unknown character among his children. And to be shocked while saying to himself: this thing, what is it? Without hesitation, he shot an arrow towards the person who, fortunately, this one, less than a second, had flown towards heaven. It is thus that Imana is no longer visible among men.

According to this legend, Imana is more transcendent than immanent, but it is nevertheless omnipresent in the daily life of men, as evidenced by the language of Rwandans (compared with Burundi and Buha in present-day Tanzania). The legends give him an anthropomorphic form: he walks works. However, it is considered intangible.

Imana is very powerful. He knows, hears and sees everything. It is also good what explains an absence of offering to him because for the Rwandans, the offerings are mainly intended to appease the evil spirits. As a result of this lack of worship towards Imana, man resorts to intermediaries like the king considered the national priest, to the spirits of ancestors and diviners to address Imana.