Hutu
Era of Colonial Rule Until 1916, Germany held colonial rule over Rwanda, and Belgium had a League of Nations mandate from 1923. Before the colonial era, the different ethnic groups such as the Hutu, Tutsi, and Twa lived peacefully side by side in Rwanda and Burundi. Their social hierarchy was determined by the occupations they pursued. The Hutu formed…
Time of Colonial Rule
Until 1916, Germany had colonial rule over Rwanda and Belgium had a League of Nations mandate from 1923. Before the time of colonial rule, the different ethnic groups such as Hutu, Tutsi and Twa lived peacefully side by side in Rwanda and Burundi. Their hierarchy was regulated by the activities they performed.
The Hutu made up the majority of the population and they mainly worked in agriculture.
The Twa ethnic group consisted predominantly of hunters and gatherers and the Tutsi engaged in livestock farming. The possibility of social advancement was, for example, given by the purchase of cattle.
During the colonial rule of Germany and the League of Nations mandate of Belgium, the different peoples were divided into ethnic groups and an upper class was formed. This division was intended to facilitate the organization of administration for the colonial rulers. For example, if someone wanted to be counted among the Tutsi, they had to own more than 10 cattle. People were also assigned to the different groups based on their appearance.
People were divided into "races". The Tutsi were classified as an "superior race" and the Hutu as a "submissive race".
Origin of the Conflicts and Genocide in Rwanda
These historical events are major factors for conflicts and unrest in Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Burundi. Bloody events such as the Nyarubuye massacre and the Rwandan genocide are attributed to the conflict between Hutu and Tutsi.
