Rwanda: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture (Culture Smart!)

Culture Smart! Rwanda gives you the tools for a successful visitto this beautiful land. It guides you through daily interactions,cultural dos and don’ts, traditionsand cultural practices, etiquette, and the ways in which businessis conducted. It provides a brief overview of Rwandan history, andpractical suggestions forsafety and travel.“The Land of a Thousand Hills,” is known for its abundantnatural beauty and iconic wildlife, from chimpanzees in the NyungweForest to the returning lionsand rhinoceros of Akagera National Park, and the endangeredmountain gorilla, lumbering through the thick vegetation of theVirunga range. This is a countryof tea, coffee, and intricately woven baskets, of expressivedrumming, and the subtle and artistic Intore dancers. It has agrowing film industry, a world-classcycling team, a thriving contemporary music scene, and a burgeoningeconomy. The capital, Kigali, glimmers with new construction, andhas become a home for investment and economic growth.Rwanda’s international image, however, remains tarnished by the1994 genocide of the Tutsi. This dark chapter is indeliblyingrained in the national psyche, and both people and governmenthave worked to ensure that such a horror never again occurs in thisparadisiacal heart of Africa. The Rwandans have embracedforgiveness, reconciliation, and restorative justice as a path toheal old wounds; former “ethnic” labels have been effaced in favorof a unified Rwandan identity; and the country has become one ofthe safest in the world. Whatever the political reality, Rwandanstoday remain a dignified, reserved, and welcoming people. Theyshare a deep pride in their unique culture and history –demonstrated by their eagerness to showcase it to visitors – andthey are dedicated to development. But to get the most from yourstay, plunge in deeper and get to know them on their own terms, andyou will find that you can make lifelong friends.