Category: Arts & Culture

{{Atelier Augusti is the brainchild of sisters Julie and Claudie Ramirez who first visited Burkina Faso six years ago after their mother married a Burkinabe man.}}

“To us it was not a choice between manufacturing in the Far East or Africa,” says 27-year-old Claudie Ramirez.

“It was always going to be Africa, though obviously the Far East would have been cheaper,” she says.

”The quality of workmanship is high in Burkina Faso and we can easily travel there from France and oversee production.

“We want to know the people who work for us.

The sisters want to work with 100% cotton – which they buy from the large Comatex textile factory in neighbouring Mali, she says.

“However, we have to send the elastic and the ink for the screen printing from France. The quality we require simply is not available in Burkina Faso.”

The lingerie is on sale on the internet and at four outlets in France, including one in the capital, Paris.

Selling Augusti products in Burkina Faso would be ”complicated”, says Claudie Ramirez, because the price – a minimum of 18 euros (£14; $25) – is far higher than most Burkinabe women are used to paying.

Ms Tiema partly agrees: “In the market you can pick up Chinese underwear for next to nothing.

“But it is synthetic and horrible on the skin.”

The veteran dressmaker explains that there are second-hand items – known as “France au revoir”‘ – which are sometimes made of cotton.

“But I do not want to wear someone else’s pants,” she says, adding that design is also an issue.

“I am sure there would be a market for beautifully made, high-quality cotton lingerie which is cut to our African shapes.

“We just need to get our act together.”

BBC

{{Twenty best craftsmen out of 50 selected across the country will be awarded during the Fourth Edition of the annual Handicraft Excellence Award Program (HEAP) initiated by the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MINICOM) in 2011 in order to boost innovation and creativity within craft industry and increasing craft exports. }}

Indashyikirwa Craft Association Rwanda (ICAR) composed by winners of last HEAP Editions took the lead to organize competitions for the 2014 HEAP edition which held from 16 to 20 June 2014.

According to RUGERO Paulin , President of ICAR, their association has owned this program with a special focus on handicraft value addition leading to increase access to international markets. He vowed to make successful this year’s HEAP Edition

“This year’s HEAP competition was open to individual/cooperative handicraft producers, designer-producers and other handicraft organizations legally registered that produce commercial handmade craft products and capable to maintain adequate stock levels to fulfill orders in 10 sub-sectors including leather, tailoring, textile, jewels, ceramics and pottery, carpentry, weaving, metal work, decoration and home accessories, and food processing.” Mr.Rugero said.

Selection of talented handicraft artisans at the provincial level were conducted on 16 and 17 June 2014 at Ikaze Showroom located at “Cathedral Saint Michel” in Nyarugenge District -Kigali City.

A total of 95 artisans from across the country have registered their products for this year’s competitions.

Out of them 50 have been selected for the final evaluation which was scheduled to be held on 20th June 2014, basing on a live practical test to all selected artisans .

In a event scheduled to take place today,5pm, at Lemigo Hotel, only 20 best artisans will be granted with awards at national level.

Mr. Paulin Rugero also made clear that Handicraft products that will be granted the “Award of Excellence” will have to meet the highest level of craft quality and be distinguished as a benchmark for craft production.

The Ministry of Trade and Industry has introduced the Handicraft Excellence Award Program- HEAP in 2011, not only to recognize innovation and talent among Rwanda’s crafts sector but also to stimulate competition for quality products capable of accessing regional and international markets, to boost exports from the handicraft sector and improve the welfare of those active in the sector.

All 30 districts of the country participated to last years’ competitions. Contests were held in 11 categories as stipulated in Law number 19/2010 of 09/06/2010 related to the organization of handicraft sector.

Competitions at district level attracted more than 13,500 artisans, around 450 per District on average. Of these, 217 received awards at the national level.

In addition, talented Rwandan artisans (HEAP winners) from countrywide with high quality products have been linked to both regional and international markets.

The Ministry of Trade and Industry has also supported artisans to establish a permanent showroom (IKAZE Showroom) in Kigali City to help artisans market their products, especially those from remote areas.

Winners of this year’s HEAP are expected to attend a series of seminars related to market access, design, intellectual property rights, taxation law for SMEs and standards are expected to be conducted in partnership with MINICOM, RRA, WDA and RBS among others.

{{A Rwandan author Francine Umutesi has released a book titled “Forgiveness the Rwandan Way”. }}

In her book she narrates her account of returning to her country from Exile in Burundi only to find that her relatives in Rwanda had been butchered.

According to a review of the book as posted on Author House website;

“Forgiveness the Rwandan Way” is the story of one Rwandan family’s odyssey, tracing their myriad challenges, losses, gains, hopes, and discoveries as they journey through life before, during, and after the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

The author recounts the shocking true story of how, at the age of 13, she, along with her parents and five siblings, witnessed the immediate aftermath of the Rwandan Genocide, returning to their homeland from a long and dangerous exile in Burundi only to discover that all their Rwandan relatives had been massacred!

Umutesi explores the pain of those who had lived abroad for many years as refugees, finally returning to Rwanda and finding empty lands, destroyed houses, and a devastated country.

Following this tragedy, the author describes in vivid detail the long and arduous path traveled by all Rwandans towards reconstruction, unity, and reconciliation … a path towards forgiveness as it had never been witnessed before.

This powerful eyewitness account illustrates the indefatigable will to survive, to live, and to love again.

Umutesi Francine

{{From the site view of the Nyamirambo stadium of Tapis Rouge, straight away you notice a large piece of land colored in rainbow colors, in the middle there is a shape of Anti SIDA ribbon. }}

These are the stairs that lead to the Nyamirambo stadium. One cannot believe they are simple coloured stairs looking at it from far away.

“In partnership with Kurema, Kureba, Kwiga project, Kigali Hope Association and Ivuka Arts Kigali, we came up with the mural paintings in different parts of the country, but our intention is to work with the community, so that the community feels our artistic works.” Uwase Crista, a 25 year old.

Crista Uwase is a petite, dark-skin young lady, with a smiling face. She enlightened the dream she has had from an early age of becoming a known artist, and being able to express her feelings through visual art.

“As for now I am confident that I am realizing my dream. Art is not just the way you see it, but it is my way to express my feelings and likes.” Crista stated.

Additionally, art is enhancing her worldwide visibility. She participated in an exhibition on the international women’s day in Kinshasa.

“Thanks to my arts, one of my works has gone far to inspire women for them to be empowered and economically reliant. Thus I am very optimistic about it”

When the Ni Nyampinga team met with her, she explained how she feels about being a visual artist, but also being part of a team that delivered such exceptional and superb work at the Nyamirambo stadium.

“I feel proud and confident due to the fact that this is my passion, I am fond of visual art and when I realize people are inspired by my work, that is excellent.”

Crista started this career some years ago and more recently joined Ivuka Arts Kigali.
Now together with her team, they created a very inspirational and fine-looking work that appears over the Nyamirambo stadium stairs and wall.

Mushumba Olivier, a resident of Nyamirambo said: “I like this painting so much. You see a big change at this place, since it has been put. It is more visually attractive.”

{{Artists hailing from Bugesera district have been drawn together at a cultural gala that was organised by district authorities aimed at identifying artists from the area and establishing ways of promoting them.}}

During the gala, artists presented various songs, dance, poems and art with messages focused on prevention of HIV,promotion of security, prevention of cross generation sex, anti corruption, prevention of domestic violence among others.

Mr Gasana John in charge of culture and sports at the district welcomed the cultural gala saying it was organised to bring together artists from the area and determining ways of supporting them.

“There is no other way, one can know and bring together artists from Bugesera. We are looking for ways to support them and improve their works,” he said adding that the artists were provided with a theme onto which to develop their messages for presentation at the gala.

Ndayishimiye Claude emerged the winner at the cultural gala scooping a cash prize; “I will use the cash prize to buy a piano and thus improve my music,” he said.

However, some participants were not pleased with the manner in which points were awarded at the cultural gala competitions.

Bagaragaza Emmanuel a teacher at GS Mayange School said that although his school managed to win two categories in the competition, he was not contented with the way points were awarded.

The competitions were organised in three categories including Poems, Singing and Dance.

Cash prizes included Frw200,000 (overall winner), Frw150,000 (second position) and Frw100,000 for the third position.

{{Rwanda’s most acclaimed traditional dance troupe Inganzo Ngari performed in the African Day program in Gazi University Ankara, Turkey. }}

Ingazo Ngari is a group of young Rwandans, who use traditional dance to promote their country’s culture.

The 80 member troupe came together in 2006 and is gaining popularity. The troupe performs often at social events.

The group is popular in Rwanda for performing the country’s traditional dance and even won the Best Dance Group in the World award at the Festival of Folkloric Dance in Spain.

They have performed in social events in numerous African Countries such Nigeria, Gobon, Burundi, South Africa, Spain and now have added Turkey to their growing list.

The Embassy of the Republic of Rwanda in Ankara, Turkey invited the traditional dance troupe to Turkey to Perform in the African Day program in Gazi University.

The dance Troupe was a major hit with the mostly Turkish audience as Students and the Turkish public participated in the dancing along with the troupe.

The Rwandan stand received a lot of attention as the Turkish audience was fascinated by the traditional dance troupe.

The group performed at the Gala event later in the evening capping off the African Day celebrations.

The Chairperson for the Inganzo Ngari Cultural Troupe Mr. Nzeyimana Alain commented that “We are happy to perform here in Turkey on such a special occasion of African Day and we were very happy with hospitality and the attention we received from the Turkish people.”