Africa-Press – Rwanda. In the rolling green hills of Gicumbi, many sights will captivate you. When the ever-present fog eventually lifts, the majestic volcanoes come into view, and on clearer days, the beautiful mountains of neighbouring Uganda stretch across the horizon.
Yet, for me, nothing compares to Ikiraro cy’Inyambo, a home for Rwanda’s traditional and exclusive cows, where culture and heritage live on in the heart of this vibrant region.
Rwandans have a deep love for cows, but Inyambo holds a special place in their hearts. These majestic cows are not just animals; they are revered, cherished, and cared for with exceptional devotion. While this tradition is deeply rooted in culture, Rwanda’s turbulent history hasn’t always been kind to them.
One of the notable figures in preserving Inyambo is Maître Rutinywa Rugeyo, 67, whose unwavering dedication to safeguarding their legacy is nothing short of inspiring.
In addition to the sanctuary he built for the cows in Mulindi, Gicumbi, he is also a published author of Rwanda: Pastoral Evolution and the Place of Inyambo, a book that tells the true story of these beauties.
In this Q&A, The New Times’ Glory Iribagiza speaks with him about the history of Inyambo in pre- and post-colonial Rwanda, and why they still need to be preserved.
Excerpts:
What is the idea behind Ikiraro cy’Inyambo?
This place is where the Inyambo cows passed when returning to Rwanda after their devastating history that once forced them out. Even the liberating force, RPA Inkotanyi, attacked Kigali from Mulindi. Usually, herds move with troops and never apart. First, there were the troops, and we categorically made Inyambo pass here because of that.
This place is open to the public. We welcome people here and explain all about cows for those who wish.
How did you develop an interest in Inyambo?
It is a blend of different things. I was born in a family that kept Inyambo, but I also loved cows deeply. Later, after the liberation of the country, I was tasked by a senior leader to find out if there were any Inyambo remaining in the country, or if we had to start from what we had then and breed to recreate them. This made me even more involved, to the point that I became one of them.
Tell us more about your book Rwanda: Pastoral Evolution and the Place of Inyambo
In this book, I explain how Inyambo were once extinct in Rwanda and how they were restored, as well as the history of those who kept them. I also address past narratives I thought were necessary. I am currently writing another book, Amabanga Imana yabikije inka (direct translation: The Secrets God Entrusted to the Cow). It will explore obscure aspects of the cow. I tell the entire journey of the Inyambo, and this sets me apart.
What would you say is the harshest part of the history of Inyambo in Rwanda?
All the cows of Rwanda faced challenges because of history, but the Inyambo had it worse because they were associated with the monarchy. Colonialists understood that cows were fundamental to Rwandan life. To colonise effectively, they discouraged key cultural values, starting with the cow.
For Inyambo, they were directly linked to the monarch. An example is the herds that were in Umutara during the post-colonial upheavals. They were not able to cross into Uganda for refuge. Since they were formerly the king’s, they came under then President Kayibanda.
He ordered the Gabiro military base to slaughter them for food. The soldiers there included Belgians, Congolese, and a few Rwandans.
Normally, Inyambo were not eaten. It was believed that whoever ate them would die. The soldiers first fed the meat to the cows’ herdsmen to test the myth. When the herdsmen did not die, they also ate it. This was one of the challenges faced by Inyambo. The colonial and post-colonial governments believed that what the monarchy endured, the Inyambo should too.
Why was it forbidden to slaughter Inyambo for meat?
In precolonial Rwanda, cows in general were not for food. Their value was beyond that. However, in some cases, a cow would be eaten; for instance, if it died of old age or if it was an infertile bull. Even meat at the time was called ibyapfa by’inka (different from today’s inyama), meaning they only ate it because it had died naturally.
This was the case for Inyambo. They couldn’t be eaten unless they died a natural death; they were cows of honor.
It is widely said that the original creation of Inyambo is a secret, but can you tell us?
The secret remains, especially when it comes to breeding. However, what you can know is that it starts from an Inyambo bull. Don’t ask where it came from, because that’s the secret, and maybe time will come for people to discuss it, but that time is not now.
The secondary breeding that we can discuss starts from that Inyambo bull and an Inkuku cow, which give birth to the Ikigarama cow. That is also bred with Inyambo, to produce the Inkerakibumbiro cow, which is also bred with an Inyambo bull, to produce Inka z’imirizo.
When bred again with an Inyambo bull, these produce Inyambo z’ingegene. Ingegene means pure, and it is achieved after four rounds of breeding. That’s how Inyambo were created.
Today, some people interchangeably use the names ‘Inyambo’ and ‘Ankole’ cows. Are they the same breed?
Let me use an example to explain this. Those who are called Benegihanga (descendants of Gihanga) can be found in Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, DR Congo, and Burundi. These people have the same origin but were separated by precolonial expansion wars, for instance. It would be hard to prove that these people are not originally from Rwanda. The Ankole people, for example, are referred to as Rwandan by their neighbouring tribes.
For the cows, when colonisers asked herdsmen in Ntungamo (now Uganda) where the cows they were grazing were from, they responded that they were from Ankole, because that was the area they lived in. That became the colonial narrative, which persists until today. But they are not a different breed.
In my book, I talk extensively about Inyambo crossing over to Ankole from Rwanda over the years. Some Ankole herdsmen would switch their cows with Inyambo bulls from Rwanda as a practice.
In other instances, the chiefs in Rwanda would give their Ankole friends Inyambo through the Kugabana culture. We also met and interviewed people who were present when King Mutara III Rudahigwa gifted Inyambo to the King of Ankole, Gashyonga.
The major factor leading to the large numbers of Inyambo present in Uganda today is the exodus of people and their cows after Rwanda’s independence. When they reached Ankole, Gashyonga said Rudahigwa’s cows cannot lack grazing space.
He took them to a place called Rwandarwera with extensive space, fit for those Inyambo. They were there until after the liberation of Rwanda, when people started to return to the country. Before, there was no Inyambo left in the country; they had all been part of the Ankole cattle.
What do you think about this? Is it acceptable for Inyambo to be called Ankole across the border?
Inyambo cannot be Ankole. A child can be named after their parent, but you can’t name a parent after the child. The best Ankole cattle are essentially Inyambo, but in Uganda, they call them Akole.
This makes me happy because it means that wherever the Inyambo went, they were loved—so much that they named them after their own tribe.
This contributed greatly to their preservation. When you love something and name it after yourself, you take good care of it. Usually, their cows were called Impimakazi, but now their universal name has become Ankole cattle.
What was the cost of bringing back Inyambo to Rwanda?
Even though Rwandans who had fled returned to the country after the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi, elements of their culture were still lacking. Some people had returned with their Inyambo cattle, but it hadn’t been done in the proper way through sacred rituals that examined if what they brought was actually Rwandan to begin with.
There hadn’t been assessments on whether the cows had been crossbred, and to what level. That is when we had the project Ikirari cy’Inyambo, which examined that.
To officially bring back Inyambo was not an easy job. We had to find people who still kept them and buy them at a very high price. Telling someone you’re buying something from them when they hadn’t taken that thing to the market is not easy. We bought them at whatever price was set by the owners. The main goal was to bring back Inyambo.
However, the financial cost was not the hardest. It was not an easy journey at all.
Are you impressed by the level of Inyambo keeping today?
Yes, it is impressive. Rwandans have remembered their relationship with Inyambo, and it is commendable how young people love them. They want to know more, and that is encouraging. I am not speaking about numbers, but about opinions. Rwandans understand the intrinsic value of Inyambo and their role in history.
However, more can be done. Many people still think you need a large space to keep Inyambo, but that is not true. I am trying to change this narrative.
What advice would you give to young people interested in the story of Inyambo?
I would tell them never to lose the social fabric that binds their country together. Improve the fabric, but never lose the original contents. They should also consider keeping Inyambo cows because beyond the culture, they are also beneficial in many ways. For instance, Inyambo can help someone cope with depression and anxiety. I will discuss this more in my new book.
Rwanda’s traditional cows, known as Inyambo, are grazing in the hills of Gicumbi.
Rwandans hold a deep affection for cows, especially the Inyambo, which are revered, cherished, and cared for with exceptional devotion.
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