Defeat Is the Only Bad News: Rwanda under Musinga, 1896–1931

Notes

255 N C . A T T 1. For the history of the Nyiginya dynasty see Vansina, Antecedents to Modern Rwanda. For a general survey of the history of the region, see Chrétien, The Great Lakes of Africa. For more general works on the precolonial history of Rwanda, see de Lacger, Ruanda; Kagame, Un abrégé de l’ethnohistoire du Rwanda; D. Newbury, “Precolonial Burundi and Rwanda.” 2. For the histories of these armies, see Kagame, Les milices. 3. One example is found in the dynastic poems: Kagame, La poésie dynastique du Rwanda ancien, and Introduction aux grands genres lyriques de l’ancien Rwanda; A. Coupez and T. Kamanzi, Récits historiques rwanda dans la version C. Gakaniisha; A. Coupez and Th. Kamanzi , Littérature de cour au Rwanda; Vansina, “Historical Tales (Ibiteekerezo) and the History of Rwanda.” For the analysis of one such poem, see D. Newbury, “Bunyabungo.” 4. On the dynastic rituals, see d’Hertefelt and Coupez, La royauté sacrée. For the analysis of one such ritual, the annual First Fruits ceremony, see D. Newbury, “What Role Has Kingship?” 5. For a discussion of the extension of land authority at the beginning of the nineteenth century, see Rwabukumba and Mudandagizi, “Les formes historiques.” 6. A. Des Forges, “Defeat Is the Only Bad News,” 17. 7. This is a theme in many of the sources on this period; see especially Vansina, Antecedents to Modern Rwanda, chap. 7; Kagame, Un abrégé de l’histoire du Rwanda, 13–129; de Lacger, Ruanda, 354–69. 8. Interviews with Makeri, Rutabagisha, Isidore, Pascal, Shikama, Ngezahayo, Rugambarara, Bihame, and Kidogo. Kagame, Le code des institutions politiques du Rwanda précolonial, 121–24; Czekanowski, Forschungen, 102–5, 107, 246–48. 9. Maquet, Le système de relations sociales, 127; d’Hertefelt, Les clans du Rwanda ancien, 56–60. 10. Maquet, Le système de relations sociales,165, 177, 191–94; Kagame, Les organisations socio-familiales, 272–74. 11. Kandt, Caput Nili, 253. 12. D’Hertefelt and Coupez, La royauté sacrée, 334. 13. Interview with Nsabimaana; Birasenyeri, “Notes sur les faits et gestes de Rwabugiri ,” J. H. Derscheid Collection of Documents on Rwanda and Burundi, consulted courtesy of Professor René Lemarchand (hereafter cited as “Derscheid Collection”). 14. De Lacger, Ruanda, 362; Kagame, Les milices, 49, 166. 15. Interview with Muhama. 16. Von Götzen, Durch Afrika von Ost nach West, 174. 17. Interviews with Mugabontazi, R. Nturo, Byahene, Serukenyinkware, Semutwa, and Rwakabayiza; Pagès, Un royaume hamite, 196–97. 18. De Lacger, Ruanda, 362. 19. Verhulst, “Renseignements.” 20. Interviews with Gatete, S. Nturo, Nsabimana, Mugabontazi, Bazatoha, and Rwakabayiza; de Lacger, Ruanda, 366–70; Pagès, Un royaume hamite, 199–200; Delmas, “Le Rwanda et autour de lui,” 69. 21. Kagame, “Un règne mouvementé.” [This has since been published as chapter 9 in Kagame, Un abrégé de l’histoire du Rwanda.] 22. Ramsay, “Über Seine Expeditionen,” 314. 23. He may have been referring to the Shangi battle of the previous July or to the reestablishment of a post by Congo Free State troops sometime in 1897 (Anonymous, Historique et Chronologie, 14, 95; Louis, Ruanda-Urundi, 43). 24. Kagame, Les organisations socio-familiales, 214–23; Ramsay, “Über Seine Expeditionen ,” 315. 25. Ramsay, “Uha, Urundi und Ruanda,” 180; Ramsay, “Über Seine Expeditionen ,” 315–17; Kandt, Caput Nili, 333. 26. Interviews with Gatete, S. Nturo, Rwakabayiza, and Byahene; Kagame, Les milices, 48–49; Kagame, “Un règne mouvementé,” 2–3. 27. Kagame, “Un règne mouvementé,” 3–4. 28. Kagame implies that the two revolts were one, but those consulted in the area did not link the two. The question needs further study. Kagame, “Un règne mouvementé,” 4, and Les milices, 41–42; interviews with Karyabgite, Gasimba, Rwakaje, and Munogo. 29. Interview with Mugabontazi; Kagame, “Un règne mouvementé,” 4–5, and Les milices, 42. Karyabgite states that Muserekande was from Bujinja. 30. Pagès, Un royaume hamite, 211. 31. Interviews with Karyabgite, Gasimba, Rushaki, Byimana, Gatanazi, and Karyeja. Kagame, “Un règne mouvementé,” 4–5; Kandt, Caput Nili, 270; de Lacger, Ruanda, 368; and R. P. Martin, “Notice Historique sur le Bumbogo,” and R. Schmidt, “Notes sur les Droits des Abaskyete,” both in the Derscheid Collection. 32. Interviews with Rushaki, Byimana, Gatanazi, Karyeja, Sebitenge, Bwico, Ntababa, Kagisha, Mpakanye, and Gakunkiko. Kagame, “Un règne mouvementé,” 4–5; Pagès, Un royaume hamite, 213. 33. Kagame, “Le Rwanda et son roi,” 47. 34. Interviews with Nyirakabuga, Serukenyinkware, Sebahuniye, and Bazatoha; de Lacger, Ruanda...