Music of Rwanda
Encyclopedia
The music of Rwanda largely consists of Africa
n folk music
sung by its people.
Traditional music and dance are taught in "amatorero" dance groups, which are to be found across the entire country. The most famous of those is Ballet National Urukerereza, which was created in the early 1970s to represent Rwanda in international events. Also famous were the Amasimbi n'amakombe and Irindiro cool dance groups.
The ikinimba
is probably the most revered musical tradition in Rwanda. It is a dance that tells the stories of Rwandan heroes and kings, accompanied by instruments like ingoma, ikembe
, iningiri, umuduri
and inanga. The inanga, a lyre
-like string instrument
, has produced many of Rwanda's best-known performers, including Rujindiri, Sebatunzi, Rwishyura, Simparingoma, Sentoré, Kirusu, Sophie and Victor Kabarira, Simon Bikindi
.
ns have moved overseas in recent years, bringing their country's music to cities like Brussels
.
For many years, Rwandan-Belgian Cécile Kayirebwa was arguably the most internationally famous Rwandan musician, until the late 1990s arrival of Rwandan-Canadian Corneille
and Jean-Paul Samputu
. Before the chaotic 1990s, Rwanda produced popular local bands like Imena, Nyampinga, Les 8 Anges, Les Fellows, Impala, Abamarungu, Los Compagnons de la Chanson, Bisa, Ingenzi, and Isibo y'Ishakwe. They took influences from across Africa, especially the Congo
, as well as Caribbean zouk
and reggae
. Following the civil war, music gradually returned to the country, and new stars arose, the most prominent of which is probably Aimé Murefu, a guitarist that draws upon American rock and blues guitarists like Jimi Hendrix
, BB King and Carlos Santana
.
Jean-Paul Samputu
, along with his group Ingeli, won two Kora awards
(African Grammy) for "Most Inspiring Artist" and "Best Traditional Artist" in 2003 for their performance of neo-traditional Rwandan music. The group tours the world spreading the Christian message of peace and reconciliation, and helps raise money for the many orphans of Rwanda. Recently Samputu brought twelve of these orphans known as Mizero Children or Rwanda (www.mizerochildren.org) to tour the U.S. and Canada in 2007.
Cyprien Kagorora was nominated to the 2005 Kora Awards in the category "Best Traditional Artist". He is probably today's most recognizable Rwandan male voice.
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
n folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
sung by its people.
Traditional music and dance are taught in "amatorero" dance groups, which are to be found across the entire country. The most famous of those is Ballet National Urukerereza, which was created in the early 1970s to represent Rwanda in international events. Also famous were the Amasimbi n'amakombe and Irindiro cool dance groups.
The ikinimba
Ikinimba
Ikinimba is probably the most revered musical tradition in Rwanda. It is a dance that tells the stories of Rwandan heroes and kings, accompanied by instruments like ingoma, ikembe, iningiri, umuduri and inanga....
is probably the most revered musical tradition in Rwanda. It is a dance that tells the stories of Rwandan heroes and kings, accompanied by instruments like ingoma, ikembe
Ikembe
Ikembe, Chisanji, Kisanji and Eleke all refer to a type of lamellaphone common amongst the Bahutu of Rwanda, Burundi and the Congo.In Swahili the word imba means song. Kuimba means to sing, as in the phrase . Mama means mother...
, iningiri, umuduri
Umuduri
The umuduri is a Rwandan stringed instrument.It bears similarity to the berimbau of Brazil.-See also:*Music of Rwanda...
and inanga. The inanga, a lyre
Lyre
The lyre is a stringed musical instrument known for its use in Greek classical antiquity and later. The word comes from the Greek "λύρα" and the earliest reference to the word is the Mycenaean Greek ru-ra-ta-e, meaning "lyrists", written in Linear B syllabic script...
-like string instrument
String instrument
A string instrument is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. In the Hornbostel-Sachs scheme of musical instrument classification, used in organology, they are called chordophones...
, has produced many of Rwanda's best-known performers, including Rujindiri, Sebatunzi, Rwishyura, Simparingoma, Sentoré, Kirusu, Sophie and Victor Kabarira, Simon Bikindi
Simon Bikindi
Simon Bikindi is a Rwandan singer-songwriter who was formerly very popular in Rwanda. His patriotic songs were playlist staples on the national radio station Radio Rwanda during the war from October 1990 to July 1994 before the Rwandan Patriotic Front took power...
.
Rwandan music overseas
Due to socio-military unrest and violence, many RwandaRwanda
Rwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
ns have moved overseas in recent years, bringing their country's music to cities like Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
.
For many years, Rwandan-Belgian Cécile Kayirebwa was arguably the most internationally famous Rwandan musician, until the late 1990s arrival of Rwandan-Canadian Corneille
Corneille (singer)
Cornelius Nyungura is a singer who performs under the name Corneille. He was born in Germany to Rwandan parents, though he currently holds a Canadian passport and sings in French and English...
and Jean-Paul Samputu
Jean-Paul Samputu
Jean-Paul Samputu is a singer, songwriter, and musician from Rwanda.Jean Paul Samputu has established himself as one of the most prominent African artists on the world stage...
. Before the chaotic 1990s, Rwanda produced popular local bands like Imena, Nyampinga, Les 8 Anges, Les Fellows, Impala, Abamarungu, Los Compagnons de la Chanson, Bisa, Ingenzi, and Isibo y'Ishakwe. They took influences from across Africa, especially the Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
, as well as Caribbean zouk
Zouk
Zouk is a style of rhythmic music originating from the Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe & Martinique. Zouk means "party" or "festival" in the local Antillean Creole of French, although the word originally referred to, and is still used to refer to, a popular dance, based on the Polish dance, the...
and reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
. Following the civil war, music gradually returned to the country, and new stars arose, the most prominent of which is probably Aimé Murefu, a guitarist that draws upon American rock and blues guitarists like Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
, BB King and Carlos Santana
Carlos Santana
Carlos Augusto Alves Santana is a Mexican rock guitarist. Santana became famous in the late 1960s and early 1970s with his band, Santana, which pioneered rock, salsa and jazz fusion...
.
Jean-Paul Samputu
Jean-Paul Samputu
Jean-Paul Samputu is a singer, songwriter, and musician from Rwanda.Jean Paul Samputu has established himself as one of the most prominent African artists on the world stage...
, along with his group Ingeli, won two Kora awards
Kora Awards
The Kora Awards are music awards given annually for musical achievement in sub-Saharan Africa. Founded in 1994 by Ernest Adjovi, they are comparable to the American Grammy Awards in intent...
(African Grammy) for "Most Inspiring Artist" and "Best Traditional Artist" in 2003 for their performance of neo-traditional Rwandan music. The group tours the world spreading the Christian message of peace and reconciliation, and helps raise money for the many orphans of Rwanda. Recently Samputu brought twelve of these orphans known as Mizero Children or Rwanda (www.mizerochildren.org) to tour the U.S. and Canada in 2007.
Cyprien Kagorora was nominated to the 2005 Kora Awards in the category "Best Traditional Artist". He is probably today's most recognizable Rwandan male voice.