Social and Religious Studies

Key unit competence: Explain political, economic and social organisation in pre-colonial Rwanda

                                              Learning objectives

At the end of this unit, you should be able to:

Knowledge and understanding

    • Describe political, social and economic organisation of pre-colonial Rwanda.

Skills

     • Explain how Rwanda was politically governed in the pre-colonial era. 

    • State the importance political, social and economic activities in the pre-colonial Rwanda.

Attitudes and values

    • Acknowledge the importance of political, social and economic organisation in pre-colonial Rwanda.

Introductory activity

  1. What is the woman making in this picture?

  2. Do people in your community still work as crafters?

  3. Do you know how to weave a basket? Explain how it is done today.

   • The land chiefs were responsible for all the land issues.

   • The cattle chiefs were responsible for the well-being of animals. Cattle are still valued in present-day Rwanda. 

   • The military chiefs were responsible for the defence of the kingdom. 

They had to make sure the army was strong enough to fight enemies and expand their land.

Activity 

Draw a diagram to show the political organisation of Rwanda in pre-colonial times.

Homework

    1. Ask your family about the political organisation and administrative structure in pre-colonial Rwanda. 

    2. Make a summary of what you are told.

   3. Present your findings to the class in the next lesson.

10.1.2 Social organisation in the pre-colonial period 

Social organisation means the way that people relate to one another in society. 

This includes culture, beliefs, customs, norms and values.

Culture

Pre-colonial Rwandans lived in clans. A clan is a group of people with a common ancestor. 

Each clan had a totem to identify it. When crimes were committed or

Cattle were a sign of wealth in pre-colonial Rwanda.

disputes arose, a council of elders would meet to settle the dispute.

Song and dance were very important. There were many social events, such as wedding parties and naming of children, that brought people together.

Traditional games were organised. These games helped people to make friends.

Young people would dance during big festivals, especially at the royal court.

People mostly ate millet, sorghum, beans, cassava, sweet potatoes and bananas.

Rwandans rarely ate meat.

A traditional home

Activity

Draw a picture of a social event in your community.

Beliefs

Pre-colonial Rwandans believed in one God – “Imana” the creator of all things.

They also worshipped their dead ancestors who had the power to intervene in the

lives of the living, and made rituals and offerings to the ancestors to bring them

blessings.

Norms

In pre-colonial Rwanda most positions of authority were reserved for men.

Women did, however have some political and economic power. The queen mother was very powerful.

Most of the men had more than one wife. Children were very important.

Having a lot of children was a sign of wealth.

Customs

Although land was believed to belong to the king, Rwandans controlled their own land. They passed it down as an inheritance to their male children. People without land could work for landowners on their farms. The landowners would give them food and shelter. This prevented poverty.

Values

People respected their leaders. They paid taxes (produce) and gave leaders gifts. At times of trouble, 

a drum would be beaten to sound the alarm.

Activity 

   1. Draw pictures of drums.

   2. Make a list of events when drums would have been used.

Exercise 

    1. How was pre-colonial Rwanda ruled?

    2. What did clans use to identify themselves?

    3. What foods were eaten?

10.2 Economic and commercial activities in pre-colonial Rwanda

Our ancestors kept animals and grew some crops. Cattle and land were signs of wealth. 

Iron smelters in Rwanda changed iron ore into tools and objects that could be used or bartered. 

Hunting provided meat. Crafted goods were made and some were traded.

Activity

Use the following headings to make a table listing all the crafts that can be made by different methods.

10.2.1 The differences between traditional and modern trade

Traditional trade was very different from trade today. In pre-colonial times:

   • Goods were exchanged or bartered. This is called barter trade

   • The main goods traded were weapons, animals and their products, fish, 

           honey and agricultural products

      • People often carried goods on their heads

      • there was no advertising.

In modern times:

    • goods are paid for with money

    • the main goods traded are animals and animal products, agricultural

products, finished products from factories, products from lakes and rivers

    • goods are carried by trucks, bicycles and wheelbarrows, as well as on heads

    • goods are advertised through newspapers, billboards, internet, radio and TV.

Activity

    1. Make a list of all the economic activities that take place in your community. Decide which are traditional activities.

    2. Role play bartering goods that you have in exchange for ones that you need.

Self-assessment

Make sure that you are able to do the following.

1. Draw a table to compare traditional and modern Rwandan trade.

2. Explain how Rwanda was ruled.

3. What did a typical Rwandan family eat?

End unit assessment

1. What do we mean by the word ‘pre-colonial’? 

2. Name the three kinds of chiefs who helped the king in ruling the kingdom. 

3. Explain the meaning of the following:a) Traditional cultureb) Traditional belief 

4. Describe any one traditional belief in your district. 

5. Mention the main four economic and commercial activities of pre-colonial Rwanda. 

6. Describe the life of a typical family in pre-colonial Rwanda. 

7. Name two items that could be traded in traditional Rwanda. 

8. Explain three different methods of creating crafts in traditional Rwanda.