The Hidden Story of NYIRATABA RWA BISHINGWE and TRADITIONAL WAY OF LIFE. Nyirataba is an old lady who lives in an area called Nyiragakoro in Nyakabande Sub-County in Kisoro District.This old woman has lived her life always basing on her earlier days in the African traditions. Nyirataba has never visited the hospital in her entire life and hardly goes to any of the local parties in the communities around her Village but can only appear on the funerals as she takes them as very important occasions and as a sign of farewell to her beloved friends and relatives. From the time I was a child, Its quite unique and surprising that in a village where Nyirataba is born,children are born and reach the time of marrying with their children getting old and none of them has ever set his/her eyes on this old lady. This old woman whenever I go home and time allows, I make it a point to visit her in addition to having offered to always provide her with water for cooking since she cannot travel 1 kilometer distance to collect water mostly for cooking.It is surprising that since my childhood I knew Nyirataba as a Mutwa because of her appearance but whenever we meet, this old lady tells me how she is one of my oldest relatives of my grandfather left on this planet earth which I have failed to understand up to now. Nyirataba still lives in her traditional ways and actually it’s hard to differentiate items like utensils that she uses from ones that she doesn’t use but the story behind that is your own adventure. With the new and modern trends of clothing, this has made her vulnerable like many other old people around her since they claims that the hides and skins could only be smoothened with cow gee for their clothing unlike today’s clothes which need regular cleaning that is not convenient to them since in some season, water is a big challenge for the most aging ones and with other monetary expenses. Food and the personal hygiene right there is not a problem as such since her belief is very different from the rural,urban and peri-urban dwellers who believe that even drinking unboiled water would cause sickness to them. Nyirataba stills holds a unique story for you that can and will only be unveiled by your presence at her home in Nyakabande. It’s surprising however that the only home you could visit for the local and traditional herbs was her home in addition to an exceptional home where one could easily access the fruits of different types. Like many other homestead in her category with children of school going age, they don’t believe that education is a key tool that could change the state of the generational livehoods. Nyirataba is now one of the experts that has helped us to research deep into our cultural heritage and this makes her not only exceptional but an expert. Nyitababa is now one of our local guides who at any time orients you to the local culture and traditions of Bufumbira together with Mzeei Seburyimpamba. The fact she stays just a few kilometers away from the pre-colonial and historical site of Kigezi, and as one of the few remaining witnesses she still holds a lot of information about the life of British,Beligiums and Germans and their co-esistance with the people in Bufumibira in Kisoro.
Posted on: Thu, 14 Aug 2014 10:03:11 +0000
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