primary source two: Participant accounts
Many of the people affected by the Rwandan Genocide are still alive to tell the story. Some have made their stories into movies and books while others have kept their stories to themselves. Below are four different personal accounts from victims of the Rwandan Genocide.
Story One “Growing up, I could feel the tension growing in my country. Going to school I could feel it,” she said. “In elementary school they made us stand up if you were a Hutu or a Tutsi, separating me from my friends. It made me and the other kids that were Tutsis feel humiliated.” -Nishimwe Story Two Later I found out my two sisters and little brother had survived. We do not talk about our experiences. We try to stick up for each other because we don't have any one else to care for us. Life is hard, but we carry on. There is no other way. -Mutesa Story Three When the genocide started, I was 13. All the family was forced to flee from our home in Gikongoro. From Kansi, to Kibinza, from Sahera to Tumba, we were constantly on the move. -Donatha Story Four The link below is a two minute video. Use the video to answer the questions. |
What tension is Nishimwe referring to? Who are the Hutu? Who are the Tutsi? Suggest the differences between the two groups? Why was being Tutsis humiliating? What emotion is Mutesa expressing? Identify the significance of Mutesa finding out about surviving siblings? Imagine yourself as Mutesa, why do you not talk about your experiences? Explain what Mutesa means by "Life is hard, but we carry on." Predict how many families were forced to flee from their homes? Why was Donatha's family constantly moving? Based on the photo from the previous page, where did Donatha's family live? Make an educated guess, how far each family traveled from city to city? Who did the speakers mom belong to? Dad belong to? Describe the significance of having a child who is half Tutsi and half Hutu? Where did his family escape too? Predict what Rwandan's future could be like since the focus is now on being Rwandan, not Hutu or Tutsi? |