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| (from Wikimedia Commons) |
Despite having been a nation for centuries, Rwanda rarely ever felt like one. When this tiny African state still was a kingdom, it was ethnically divided into two main groups: the Tutsi, who conformed the ruling minority; and the Hutu, who made up the powerless majority. As a result, this injustice was the trigger for one of the bloodiest civil wars of the 20th century which killed over a million people in 4 years. Fortunately, the last marks of this dark chapter are the placid memorials which encourage Rwandans to process their macabre past and to begin a new era of unification. One of the most iconic ones stands in the capital Kigali, serving as the resting place for thousands of people. But before fixating in this memorial site, a bit of history is necessary.
