By Vincent Nsengiyumva
The HomeGround Lab
Click here for the article.
Summary
In this deeply personal essay, Rwandan musician and genocide survivor Vincent Nsengiyumva recounts how traditional music became his lifeline after losing his entire family during the 1994 genocide. Taught by his grandparents in Nyanza, he turned to drumming, singing, and dance as a means of survival and self-reconstruction. Over time, music evolved from therapy into vocation, leading him to teach and perform as a custodian of Rwandan culture, first in Rwanda and later in Canada. By breaking taboos—such as teaching women to drum—he transformed cultural preservation into a force for healing and empowerment.
Quotes
“Music became my lifeline, putting food on the table.”
“When women took up the drums, they claimed a voice and reclaimed their stories.”
“Every performance is an act of beautiful resistance against the violence that tried to silence my culture, my family, my very existence.”
“The music my grandparents gave me didn’t just save my life. It gave me a way to save others, one song at a time.”
Click below for Mumaso Yawe and other music by Vincent Nsengiyumva or listen here on Spotify
Comments
Post a Comment
Please ensure you leave your name, bei either selecting your google account (if you have one), or selecting 'name' from the drop down menu. Enter your name there. If confused, leave your name in the text of your comment.