Day 2: Dancing across difference

We’re at Maranyundo! We arrived last night, had dinner with Sr. Juvenal, the headmistress of the school, and settled into what will be our home for the next week. Overall I’m reflecting on my general sense of gratitude for being in the Motherland, in a new place and culture. The sister nuns of the school greeted us with such generosity and it has been such an honor to connect with the young women here.

As we drove through Kigali last night on our way to Nyamata, I kept thinking about my time in cities of the Afrikan Diaspora—Port-of-Spain, Salvador, Bridgetown. I felt a similar energy coursing through this urban space in Rwanda; the power of ancestral linkages between the continent and her descendants in other parts of the world. I observed all the different people walking on the streets, sitting at outdoor bars, selling fruits and vegetables on the side of the road. I thought about all the complex and unique realities of each person we passed…and I also couldn’t help but think of what those streets must have looked like exactly 22 years ago, right after the genocide, when the capital flowed with blood and terror. I wonder how the men and women I sped past last night have pieced their lives back together and rebirthed themselves and their city after such extreme tragedy…

Today was filled with hot sun, red dust, smiles, joyful girls in blue and white uniforms, and lots of internal questioning. We spent time in the morning touring the campus of Maranyundo and then attended a ceremony celebrating the 10th anniversary of a U.S. aid organization that funds educational opportunities for girls in Nyamata. While I witnessed the positive impact of the organization reflected in the young women (including students at Maranyundo) who had benefited from educational scholarships, I also questioned dynamics of white saviorism and narcissism that also seemed to pervade the ceremony. I realize I have a visceral reaction when I see white westerners posing next to Afrikan people in the name of “making a difference.” Though it’s clear that the work of this particular organization was driven by good intentions, I also am wary of how power dynamics play out in intercultural exchange. The experience made me reflect on my own presence here in Rwanda. How do I build authentic relationships with other cultures in a way that is truly respectful and grounded in reciprocity? I’ve been thinking a lot about this as I prepare to meet, and hopefully work with, the teachers at Maranyundo this coming week. I want to be useful, but don’t want to impose my own judgements and ideas about effective teaching and learning. It’s a tricky balance to hold, especially coming from an imperialist country like the U.S., which has so much more material power relative to many other nations in the world.

Alongside all my critical questioning, the most beautiful moments of the day were spent with the brilliant souls of Maranyundo, the young women who make up the student body. There is a grace and warmth that emanates from the girls that we met today. During the ceremony there were amazing performances of traditional Rwandan music and dance. When the event came to an end, the DJ played Rwandan and American pop music and a group of Maranyundo students invited all of us to dance with them. Kamiya and Ja’Hari traded favorite American artists with some of the girls, and they showed us their version of the electric slide and how to partner dance to songs by their national pop idols. They created a dance circle and mixed elements of traditional Rwandan dance (much of which reminds me of step and krump in the U.S.) with popular American dance moves. These spontaneous moments of cultural sharing remind me of the beauty of our common humanity, as well as the particular connections between the continent and the African Diaspora. As daughters of the Diaspora, I am so excited for Ja'Hari and Kamiya to continue their relationship building with the young women of Maranyundo.