Antecedents to Modern Rwanda: The Nyiginya Kingdom

Note on Spelling

xiii note on spelling In general we follow the usual spelling for Kinyarwanda, the language of Rwanda. We do not indicate suprasegmentary segments (vowel length, tones) except when a linguistic argument requires it. The letter sequence “li” is always written “ri,” which is the canonical variant. Hence we always have Cyirima, for instance, never Cyilima. Ordinary substantives in Kinyarwanda are cited with their prefixes and augments (or prepre fixes), although these elements change from singular to plural. Thus one has “umugaragu” for “client herder” in the singular and “abagaragu” for “client herders” in the plural, or “umuryango” for “ great lineage” in the singular and “imiryango” for “great lineages” in the plural. But in more complex cases—for instance, when the invariable part of the word begins with a vowel—one cites the singular, followed by “sing.,” only when a plural is cited. For example, “abami” for “kings” (“umwami” for “king,” sing.), “amooko” for “species” or “kinds” (“ubwoko” for “species” or “kind,” sing.) Place names and names of persons are written in the of- ficial Rwandan spelling, except for the official sequence “li.” But with regard to the names of ethnic or other human groups—for example, clans—we follow the international convention according to which all initial elements are deleted. Hence we have the Rwanda for the people of the country, not the Abanya-rwanda, the Ngwe, not the Abene-ngwe, the Nyiginya, not the Abanyiginya, and the Ega, not the Abega. Historical regions of central Rwanda Historical regions of eastern Rwanda Historical regions of western Rwanda antecedents to modern rwanda ...