by DR. PRITAM K. ROHILA
In 1994, Rwanda suffered a devastating genocide. Close to a million were killed by neighbors, friends, even family. After it was over, those who remained were broken, dead inside.
In a remarkable attempt to rebuild them, Kiki Katese, a pioneering Rwandan theater director, decide to start Rwanda’s first and only women’s drumming troupe. Called “Ingoma Nshya”, which means New Era, or New Kingdom, the troupe is open to women from both sides of the conflict, as long as they left the categories of the past at the gate.
For the women – orphans, widows, wives and children of perpetrators – the group has been a place to begin to live again, to build new relationships, to heal the wounds of the past. Now this group of 60 women pound out rhythms of power and joy, which is something new in Rwanda.
Watch its about 4-minute-long trailer at http://www.sweetdreamsrwanda.com/trailer/
Sweet Dreams is the feature length documentary about this group. More information about it is at http://www.sweetdreamsrwanda.com
Dr. Rohila can be reached at asiapeace@comcast.net