Tiny Moments of Insight

African identity
I had always wondered how Africans, being from such a huge and diverse continent, are able to define their identity as "African". Does an African identity really exist? Even to a casual observer, Rwandans are so much different from, say, Kenyans. If you mistake a Rwandan for a Ugandan, you will incite spirited indignation. Within most nations, tribalism runs deep. But what I've learned from the people here is that it's a cultural identity. It's the rhythm of the music, the lilt in their dance, the type of humor, and yes, the color of their skin that profers the affinity towards one another. I sense that African identity in their culture runs deeper than most.

Another aspect of African identity is a common experience throughout history. Eighty percent of Africa was colonized by the western world. The truth is that the continent is bound by the trauma of mass exploitation and loss of dignity.

Why is Africa the site of the majority of the global issues of today?
Poverty
Corruption
Famine
Endemic disease: HIV Malaria etc...
Civil war

I'd have to say that a major factor is the legacy of colonialism. One cannot underestimate the consequences of absolute, multigenerational oppression.

Rwanda
I have a better understanding of how this country came to tread its particular path in history. There was relative stability in the region, people almost oblivious to their tribal identity, an egalitarian society under a monarch. When Germans and subsequently Belgians came, they were met with much resilience before ultimate domination by force. Once in power, the colonialists pitted one tribe against another, instilling discrimination and mistrust that was not there before. They began a crude classification of people according to their physical attributes, and identification cards were made to maintain the order of social hierarchy. In Rwanda the minority Tutsis were propped up as the higher class, under which the majority Hutu were subservient. Deep resentment against loss of dignity and freedom transfered from the colonialists to the Tutsi, and when independence was finally gained from the Belgians, it festered and grew. When mass genocide broke in 1994, it wasn't a singular event. It was the execution of a meticulously prepared plan that was organized long before. The horrific outcome of 1994 speaks to how successful the orchestration of hate was through politics and propaganda. Locally, lists of people who should be killed were generated in every neighborhood. Internationally, it's widely known that the French supplied the means through arms deals with the Rwandan government. The tragedy of genocide that noone could stop brought the nation to its knees. The fact that Rwanda was able to rise again to wheere it is is truly a miracle.