Rwanda

Some Background I

• Historical Context:

  • Hutus settled in the Great Lakes region (500 BC to 1000 BC).

  • Hutus: Agricultural society; Tutsis: Nomadic origins from Ethiopia (400 years ago).

  • Economic dominance of Tutsis over Hutus; historical rulership dynamics.

  • Complex economic and social interactions; not all Tutsis wealthy, nor Hutus poor.

  • Source: PBS

Some Background II

• Ethnic Identity:

  • Congolese historian George Izangola on Tutsi and Hutu's shared ethnic roots.

  • The influence of proximity to royalty on social status.

  • Belgian colonial rule enforced ethnic divisions through identity cards and educational disparities.

  • Consequences of colonial policies on Hutu and Tutsi relations.

  • Source: PBS