Myth and Memory: The Construction and De-Construction of Ethnic Ideology in Post-Colonial Rwanda

Abstract

This paper evaluates the role myth and memory play in understanding the 1994 Rwandan genocide, within the context of structuralism and functionalist thinking. It argues that the Hamitic frame of reference and colonial administration of this country underscore the notion of myth-making in colonial Rwanda. The paper attempts to explore the complexity and multiple realities of the political and ethnic dynamics in colonial and postcolonial Rwanda by seeking to understand social diversity and social interaction within population groups. There exists a need for Rwandans to explore the causes of the genocide and seek solutions on how to handle ethnic tension in the future. Rwandans – with the help of regional and international bodies – should create new patterns of how to live and interact in a constantly changing world order. Africa Insight Vol. 37 (4) 2008 pp. 248-256