Around 600 years ago, the Tutsi people migrated from Ethiopia into Rwanda, which was the homeland of the Hutu people. For many years, the Tutsi and the Hutu lived peacefully together. The Tutsi were mostly herders and most of the power was given to them as well. The majority of Hutu were croppers. Although these people were separated into two groups, they still intermarried, worked together, spoke the same language, and obeyed the Tutsi king. The separation of Hutu and Tutsi was not decided ethnically. It was decided economically, and there was social mobility, people could move from being a Tutsi (high economic
status) to being a Hutu (low economic
status). The majority of the people in
Rwand
a were Hutu. Whenever people from another country would move to Rwanda, the Tutsi would not bother identifying their race or ethnicity, they would simply label them as
Hutus. At that time, as mentioned above, this label was not permanent. Therefore, the
Hutus were an indigenous group that was growing rapidly but was not given a significant amount of power. The
Tutsies, who were the minority, held most of the influential positions in Rwanda. The segregation of the two groups did not cause problems initially, but resentment and anger soon came into play.
(Above: Tutsi men in traditional costume performing a dance; Below: Hutu girl doing chores)
a were Hutu. Whenever people from another country would move to Rwanda, the Tutsi would not bother identifying their race or ethnicity, they would simply label them as Hutus. At that time, as mentioned above, this label was not permanent. Therefore, the Hutus were an indigenous group that was growing rapidly but was not given a significant amount of power. The Tutsies, who were the minority, held most of the influential positions in Rwanda. The segregation of the two groups did not cause problems initially, but resentment and anger soon came into play. 
1 comment:
Hi Becca,
Do you know what caused the Tutsi to migrate to Rwanda from Ethiopia? Was it famine? War? Or simply that they were nomadic herders?
How did a Tutsi end up king? What time period is this?
Could people move from low economic status to high? How?
Why were the Hutus unable to hold any power?
Do the Tutsis view themselves as better people than the Hutus?
In pre-Civil War America the African Americans on plantations were often divided into field slaves and house slaves--the house slaves being of lighter skin and getting to do better jobs. Do you think this is similar in any way?
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