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Going ape: humans play role of mountain gorillas in Rwanda ceremony | Going ape: humans play role of mountain gorillas in Rwanda ceremony |
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It was a scene reminiscent of Planet of the Apes or 2001: A Space Odyssey. Two dozen performers wearing hairy gorilla suits, complete with masks and rubber boots, scampered along a bamboo bridge, beat their chests and cavorted in a field at the foot of a volcano. | It was a scene reminiscent of Planet of the Apes or 2001: A Space Odyssey. Two dozen performers wearing hairy gorilla suits, complete with masks and rubber boots, scampered along a bamboo bridge, beat their chests and cavorted in a field at the foot of a volcano. |
The occasion was Rwanda’s annual naming ceremony for mountain gorillas. Since the 24 babies born in nearby wild habitat over the past year had failed to RSVP, a group of parents and children in costumes gamely played their parts instead, grunting and rolling in the grass to the delight of thousands of villagers, diplomats and president Paul Kagame. | The occasion was Rwanda’s annual naming ceremony for mountain gorillas. Since the 24 babies born in nearby wild habitat over the past year had failed to RSVP, a group of parents and children in costumes gamely played their parts instead, grunting and rolling in the grass to the delight of thousands of villagers, diplomats and president Paul Kagame. |
The jamboree on Saturday was also a study in soft power and reveals why Kagame commands support both at home and abroad. He looks all but certain to secure a third term in office, despite objections led by the US. Rwanda’s nurturing of its gorilla population has been hailed as one of world conservation’s great success stories and draws lucrative tourism, which in turn benefits local communities and drives development. It also burnishes Kagame’s reputation as a results-driven pragmatist. | The jamboree on Saturday was also a study in soft power and reveals why Kagame commands support both at home and abroad. He looks all but certain to secure a third term in office, despite objections led by the US. Rwanda’s nurturing of its gorilla population has been hailed as one of world conservation’s great success stories and draws lucrative tourism, which in turn benefits local communities and drives development. It also burnishes Kagame’s reputation as a results-driven pragmatist. |
The naming ceremony itself is canny tourist bait. Known as kwita izina, it pays homage to centuries of Rwandan tradition celebrating the birth of a child. When it began in 2005, Kagame and his wife Jeanette named twin gorillas, a rare occurrence, while in 2009 the Hollywood actor Don Cheadle took part. Since then the gorilla population in Rwanda’s Volcanoes national park has been ticking up, to 302 at the last official count, although experts believe it could top 500. | The naming ceremony itself is canny tourist bait. Known as kwita izina, it pays homage to centuries of Rwandan tradition celebrating the birth of a child. When it began in 2005, Kagame and his wife Jeanette named twin gorillas, a rare occurrence, while in 2009 the Hollywood actor Don Cheadle took part. Since then the gorilla population in Rwanda’s Volcanoes national park has been ticking up, to 302 at the last official count, although experts believe it could top 500. |
Saturday’s 11th open air ceremony in Kinigi, near the entrance to the national park, named 24 baby gorillas identified by trackers and researchers, up from 18 last year and 17 the year before that. “Hopefully the continuation will soon be no longer to call them an endangered species,” said Yamina Karitanyi, the Rwanda Development Board’s chief tourism officer, who claimed that even the gorillas were excited by Kagame’s presence. | Saturday’s 11th open air ceremony in Kinigi, near the entrance to the national park, named 24 baby gorillas identified by trackers and researchers, up from 18 last year and 17 the year before that. “Hopefully the continuation will soon be no longer to call them an endangered species,” said Yamina Karitanyi, the Rwanda Development Board’s chief tourism officer, who claimed that even the gorillas were excited by Kagame’s presence. |
Twenty-four guests followed behind the actors wearing ceremonial white shirts with lime green sashes, beaded necklaces and sandals and carrying beaded sticks. They were from countries all over the world and conferred names in the Kinyarwanda language with meanings including Courage, Thank you, Let us prosper, Conviviality, Ornament, Famous, Battle, Leader, Power, Curious and Wish. | Twenty-four guests followed behind the actors wearing ceremonial white shirts with lime green sashes, beaded necklaces and sandals and carrying beaded sticks. They were from countries all over the world and conferred names in the Kinyarwanda language with meanings including Courage, Thank you, Let us prosper, Conviviality, Ornament, Famous, Battle, Leader, Power, Curious and Wish. |
Kagame, dressing down in a blue duffel jacket and grey trousers, climbed up several podiums to wave to the crowd, who cheered and waved blue, green and yellow national flags. “Conservation efforts show that the first beneficiaries of protecting the environment are citizens,” he said in Kinyarwanda as light rain fell. “We want to be prosperous. Rwandans were not created to be eternally poor.” | Kagame, dressing down in a blue duffel jacket and grey trousers, climbed up several podiums to wave to the crowd, who cheered and waved blue, green and yellow national flags. “Conservation efforts show that the first beneficiaries of protecting the environment are citizens,” he said in Kinyarwanda as light rain fell. “We want to be prosperous. Rwandans were not created to be eternally poor.” |
Foreign visitors pay $750 (£494) to go gorilla tracking in the national park, while Rwandans themselves can go for less than $50. The government says that in the past decade $1.83m (£1.21m) of tourism revenue has built 57 primary schools in 13 districts and funded 360 community projects, including health centres, roads, bridges, water and sanitation and even beekeeping. Poaching has been virtually wiped out with the help of a programme that turns former poachers into farmers. | Foreign visitors pay $750 (£494) to go gorilla tracking in the national park, while Rwandans themselves can go for less than $50. The government says that in the past decade $1.83m (£1.21m) of tourism revenue has built 57 primary schools in 13 districts and funded 360 community projects, including health centres, roads, bridges, water and sanitation and even beekeeping. Poaching has been virtually wiped out with the help of a programme that turns former poachers into farmers. |
One of Saturday’s spectators, Derek Brown, 64, a former plumber from the UK, said: “From when I last visited five years ago, this town has grown up so much and it’s down to tourism. Last time there was nothing here, but now everyone is walking around with a smile on their face.” | One of Saturday’s spectators, Derek Brown, 64, a former plumber from the UK, said: “From when I last visited five years ago, this town has grown up so much and it’s down to tourism. Last time there was nothing here, but now everyone is walking around with a smile on their face.” |
The primatologist Amy Vedder first came to Rwanda from the US as a student researcher 37 years ago, and helped launch one of the world’s first ecotourism programmes. “People hadn’t even coined the term ‘ecotourism’,” the 64-year-old recalled. “It took off much quicker than we imagined. It really has become professionalised in the last 20 years.” | The primatologist Amy Vedder first came to Rwanda from the US as a student researcher 37 years ago, and helped launch one of the world’s first ecotourism programmes. “People hadn’t even coined the term ‘ecotourism’,” the 64-year-old recalled. “It took off much quicker than we imagined. It really has become professionalised in the last 20 years.” |
The country generally offers western holidaymakers, gap-year students and NGO volunteers a user-friendly experience, from free wifi at the main airport to clean roads that are safe to walk at night. More British and US accents can be heard in Kigali than in most African capitals, and tourism is Rwanda’s top foreign currency earner. “It’s a country with enormous integrity,” Vedder said. “Things work here and that’s outstanding in this region.” | The country generally offers western holidaymakers, gap-year students and NGO volunteers a user-friendly experience, from free wifi at the main airport to clean roads that are safe to walk at night. More British and US accents can be heard in Kigali than in most African capitals, and tourism is Rwanda’s top foreign currency earner. “It’s a country with enormous integrity,” Vedder said. “Things work here and that’s outstanding in this region.” |
Many credit the president for this. Kagame is said to run Rwanda like a demanding corporate CEO, working long into the evening and carpeting ministers who fail to meet targets. The country is sometimes compared with Singapore. He also stands accused of authoritarianism including jailing opponents, silencing the media and perpetrating human rights violations. | Many credit the president for this. Kagame is said to run Rwanda like a demanding corporate CEO, working long into the evening and carpeting ministers who fail to meet targets. The country is sometimes compared with Singapore. He also stands accused of authoritarianism including jailing opponents, silencing the media and perpetrating human rights violations. |
Last week the US reiterated its opposition to a possible third term for Kagame after the country’s parliament voted in support of constitutional change that would allow him to stay on. “We do not support those in positions of power changing constitutions solely for their political self-interest,” the State Department spokesman John Kirby said. | Last week the US reiterated its opposition to a possible third term for Kagame after the country’s parliament voted in support of constitutional change that would allow him to stay on. “We do not support those in positions of power changing constitutions solely for their political self-interest,” the State Department spokesman John Kirby said. |
Such statements cut little ice in Kinigi, however. Samuel Sembagare, the mayor of Burera district, said: “He greeted the people today and that’s very important for them. I would vote for him, 100%. He’s very appreciated by the people for what’s done in security, governance, infrastructure, development, schools, agriculture. He’s very excellent.” | Such statements cut little ice in Kinigi, however. Samuel Sembagare, the mayor of Burera district, said: “He greeted the people today and that’s very important for them. I would vote for him, 100%. He’s very appreciated by the people for what’s done in security, governance, infrastructure, development, schools, agriculture. He’s very excellent.” |
Karitanyi also said she had no doubt Kagame would win if allowed to seek a third term in 2017. “He’s not running on an empty ticket. This is a man who’s done what the population has been longing for. But that’s not conservation. That’s politics.” |