{"id":34786,"date":"2023-02-03T15:28:09","date_gmt":"2023-02-03T15:28:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/all-news\/king-ngabo-on-preserving-the-spirit-of-heroism-through-art"},"modified":"2023-02-03T16:04:16","modified_gmt":"2023-02-03T16:04:16","slug":"king-ngabo-on-preserving-the-spirit-of-heroism-through-art","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/culture-and-art\/king-ngabo-on-preserving-the-spirit-of-heroism-through-art","title":{"rendered":"King Ngabo on preserving the spirit of heroism through art"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Rwanda. <\/strong><\/span>Heroism can be in any form, in any way, and a hero can be anyone.<\/p>\n

Heroes are brave and selfless and they make sacrifices for the good of others, no matter the cost\u2014even if it means risking their life.<\/p>\n

Rwanda, on February 1, celebrated Heroes\u2019 Day, and in order to impart the fundamental principles that the country\u2019s heroes stood and died for, all Rwandans are heartened to value unity, and promote a spirit of patriotism.<\/p>\n

In this regard, King Ngabo, an artist and founder of Ingabo Corner, shares his views on using art to promote nationalism and honour the sacrifices made by Rwanda\u2019s heroes who exemplified the highest values of patriotism and sacrifice for the well-being of the country.<\/p>\n

ALSO READ: Celebrities on what National Heroes Day means to them<\/p>\n

\u201cAnything promoted through art has the potential to last and leave a mark. History lives on when preserved and remembered. Our art has the ability to educate Rwandans, and as artists, it is our duty to take a minute and remember the sacrifices made by our heroes. Then we have to think about ourselves and how we can serve our people because we don\u2019t want to serve anything that has no purpose,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

ALSO READ: Heroes Day: Rwandans urged to embrace culture of heroism<\/p>\n

Some of King Ngabo’s artwork that he produced to depict the heroism of RPA soldiers. Courtesy<\/p>\n

The key to preserving Rwandan history and promoting heroism among Rwandans is to be honest with our history, to learn and tell the truth, Ngabo said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can\u2019t call ourselves heroes; what we do, what we show, and our efforts to create artwork that talks about heroism are what gives us that credit. Therefore, as artists we need to use every resource we have to promote heroism. We need to recognise [the fact] that our history is both bad and good. And we need to tell the whole truth if we want to create heroes, we need to touch peoples\u2019 hearts with our work,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe need to think about the sacrifices made by our heroes, learn from them, and wonder what sacrifices we can also make to be called heroes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ngabo\u2019s drive to promote heroism was evident through an art festival he organised dubbed \u2018Isaliyuti Art Festival\u2019 in July 2022 at the Kigali Genocide Memorial, aimed at educating young people about Rwanda\u2019s history and the liberation struggle.<\/p>\n

Isaliyuti is a chronological display of the liberation struggle, exhibited in the Museum for Campaign against Genocide\u2014one of the eight museums managed by the Rwanda Cultural Heritage Academy. It is housed in the Parliamentary building.<\/p>\n

Some of King Ngabo’s artwork that he produced to depict the heroism of RPA soldiers. Courtesy<\/p>\n

\u201cI got great feedback. Many people who come to Rwanda visit the exhibition and it\u2019s now part of the museum,\u201d he said, adding that the spirit of showcasing heroism through art came to him while listening to liberation songs.<\/p>\n

\u201cI asked myself what I would have done for my country in my teenage years. And the only answer I could get was to help liberate my country.\u201d<\/p>\n

As we continue to celebrate our heroes, Ngabo calls on artists to take time and learn about the country\u2019s history. He advises them to read a lot and visit more museums so that they can be able to promote it ideally.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was able to create something that made it to the museum because I took time to learn about my history.<\/p>\n

\u201cI never thought that one day my idea would be put in an exhibition hall. So, if we want our art to educate others, we need to educate ourselves first. And we also need to learn from our heroes to be able to preserve a legacy that will live on.\u201d<\/p>\n

Some of King Ngabo’s artwork that he produced to depict the heroism of RPA soldiers. Courtesy<\/p>\n\r\n