Officers and cultural consultants from the Rwanda Cultural and Heritage Academy (RCHA) say Rwandan board sport ‘Igisoro’ might grow to be an vital device for cultural diplomacy between Rwanda and Germany. The transfer comes at a time when many younger persons are more and more turning to digital video games, one thing cultural consultants worry is weakening social interplay, important pondering, and bodily group engagement.
ALSO READ: Cultural heritage physique revives ‘kubuguza’ board sport at school competitors
Talking throughout celebrations of Worldwide Museum Day held on Could 20 on the Rwanda Artwork Museum, Robert Masozera, Director Common of RCHA mentioned Igisoro is now not being seen solely as leisure but additionally as an vital instructional and cultural device.
He famous that Igisoro has already began strengthening ties between Rwanda and the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate. A number of Igisoro boards have already been taken to Germany, the place college students in faculties partnering with Rwanda are actually studying methods to play the sport forward of future exchanges and competitions with Rwandan college students.
“Some Igisoro boards have already been taken there, and they’re now studying methods to play, particularly in faculties that cooperate with Rwanda,” he mentioned.
“They’re making ready to return and play with Rwandan college students. In diplomacy, you possibly can see that Igisoro can strengthen relations, and it will probably now additionally increase the nation’s flag identical to Rwanda’s Intore dance, Imigongo artwork, and different cultural symbols do.”
ALSO READ: High 10 Rwandan conventional video games
Hanna Schuhle, Rhineland-Palatinate’s Head of the Coordination Workplace in Kigali mentioned the German aspect is dedicated to persevering with cooperation with Rwanda to advertise Rwandan heritage in Germany.
“Introducing Igisoro in German faculties and communities won’t solely protect tradition but additionally strengthen friendship and cooperation between the 2 sides,” she mentioned.
What’s Igisoro?
Igisoro is a standard Rwandan board sport belonging to the Mancala household of video games. It’s performed utilizing a handcrafted wood board containing 32 pits organized in 4 rows and eight columns, along with 64 seeds.
Two gamers take turns sowing and capturing seeds till one participant leaves the opponent with out doable strikes.
The sport primarily exams focus, endurance, planning, and strategic pondering.
Historians hint the sport again centuries in the past, with legends linking it to the reign of King Ruganzu II Ndoli between 1510 and 1543. Historic Igisoro boards carved into rocks can nonetheless be discovered in numerous components of Rwanda, exhibiting how deeply rooted the sport is within the nation’s historical past.
Rwandan historians say Igisoro has existed for the reason that early formation of the Kingdom of Rwanda.
Historic accounts say Ruganzu I fell in love with Princess Nyanguge from one other kingdom. Nevertheless, he confronted robust competitors from different kings who additionally wished to marry her, particularly King Kimenyi of Gisaka.
It’s mentioned that Ruganzu I sought divination, recognized in Kinyarwanda as ‘kuraguza’, to find out whether or not Nyanguge was destined to grow to be his spouse, and he ultimately succeeded in marrying her.
King Kimenyi was recognized for spending a lot of his time taking part in Igisoro.
This later gave rise to the well-known saying: “Umwami uraguza yatsinze ubuguza” loosely translated as, “The king who sought divination defeated the one who performed Igisoro.”
The saying was typically used to mock King Kimenyi’s relaxed way of life and likewise confirmed how addictive and fashionable Igisoro had already grow to be throughout that period.
King Ruganzu II Ndoli, who dominated Rwanda from 1510 till 1543, was additionally recognized to benefit from the sport.
Plans to develop Igisoro nationwide
Moreover selling the sport in secondary and vocational faculties, Masozera mentioned that discussions are underway with sports activities establishments to formally embrace Igisoro in Umurenge Kagame Cup competitions.
If accredited, the sport might additionally begin being performed competitively at sector stage throughout the nation.
