Musician promotes Rwandan culture in a foreign land

By Linda Mbabazi

PEOPLE: After achieving her dream and dancing on top of her world, the renowned Rwandan female musician who resides in Belgium, Cecile Kayirebwa, is said to be spending sleepless nights thinking about how she can transform the Rwandan traditional music
and put it on top of the world. Without hesitating, Rwandans at least believe that Kayirebwa is among the few female musicians who give value to their culture especially when in a foreign land and have even tried to force the nations to love and respect the foreign culture (Rwandan culture), thus winning pride to Rwandans abroad. TNT reporter Linda Mbabazi grabbed a chance with the busy-soft spoken Kayirebwa and captured the autobiography of the celebrity, one hour to her flight back to Belgium which was thought to be important to both her fans and TNT readers. Below is part of the interview. TNT: Can you please introduce yourself to our readers and your fans? My name is Cecile Kayirebwa. I am a daughter to Mrs. Rwabagabo Genevieve and late Rwabagabo Venustus. I was born on 29 September 1946, in Kigali town, Nyarugenge to be precise and I am the second born in the family of twelve children.I started school in 1952 at Rugunga primary school and later joined Notre dame de Citeaux in 1960. I passed with high scores in my senior six final examinations and I was admitted at the School of Social Services in Musha Muruganzu, current Nyanza district. There, I acquired my first diploma in Social Services in 1966 and started working with the Ministry of Civil Services.

TNT: How did you get into the music career?Kayirebwa: My love for music started at age of 5, because my father used to sing and was a choirmaster at Saint Michael Catholic Church. He would bring the choir at home for practices, especially on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday afternoons. None of my siblings inherited dad’s talent, but I did because I was really in love with the music. Though I seemed to be so young by then, I used to keep around every time they came for rehearsals and I would try to imitate them. At the age of 6, I joined Sunday school choir. Sometimes I would be shy because people would stare at me when singing or dancing saying that I had a sweet voice, despite of my age. I remember people would bring me money at the podium and tell my parents how impressed they were with my talent. Many people appreciated the special gift in me and encouraged my parents to help me develop it. During his free time, dad would sit with me at home and teach me some new tones. The desire for music kept growing. I never wasted any single chance; I would spend most of my time singing, trying to improve on my voice. At school, I was chosen to be the leader of our school choir and I would help to compose songs for the choir. The older I grew, the more I got into music. In 1966, I composed two songs, Julianna Muvandimwe wange uragiye?…. (Julian my relative are you leaving? ) and another one was called Rubwiruko, (dedicated to the youth), the two songs became the country’s best hits in 1966. In 1970, the Ministry in charge of Social Affairs hired me for four months to present a programme on social related issues and to advise the masses on the importance of listening to radio. TNT: Your songs were instrumental during the struggle, where were you then?Kayirebwa: I was in Belgium by that time. We fled the country in 1973 when the Hutus were harassing us (Tutsis) calling us Inyenzi (Cockroaches). The first massacre started in 1959 and from then, Tutsis started seeking refugee from different countries of the world, and the unlucky ones who remained in the country were tortured and killed. Though I managed to flee the country, I was traumatized by the horrific acts done in the country, so when I heard of the Rwanda Patriotic Force (RPF), I decided to compose songs of hope and encouraging the strugglers that we were behind them though not at the war front. TNT: After the struggle, Rwandans expected you to return; what stopped you?Kayirebwa: With no doubt, I 100 percent know that (repeating it over and over, as though to make it clear to the reporter). Of course after the struggle we were all expected to return, but I am not the only one who stayed behind. There are many Rwandans all over the world who have not yet returned because of different reasons. My family and I are still behind, not because we don’t want to comeback, but because we have a lot of responsibilities in Belgium. Our families (my children have families there and other relatives) emerged and we don’t wish to separate. Certainly, there is a big community of Rwandans leaving in Belgium and we have kept our culture more than even some who are here in the country. In Belgium, at least each family has tried to teach their children Kinyarwanda as a language, songs and the traditional dance. And I believe this is enough to keep and give value to our culture.TNT: What do you do apart from singing?Kayirebwa: Well, I have a project back in Belgium and I teach especially Rwandans the traditional dance (Amaraba), though even some other people (non Rwandans ) got interested and joined. I am also planning to extend the project here, I want to promote our culture and to support female artistes who are still lagging behind. TNT: Are you married?Kayirebwa: Of course married, with children! (She laughs....wondering why I didn’t know). I got married to Karengera Innocent in 1970, unfortunately he passed away and left me with four children, two girls and two boys. I have four grandchildren.TNT: Do you have any of your children singing or dancing?Kayirebwa: No, certainly none of them adopted my talent, but one girl was in a dancing troupe, but when she got married, she quit. One of my sons is an engineer of sound mix and of recent he was hired in Malawi. TNT: How do you spend your free time? Kayirebwa: In my free time, I go shopping, visit friends, and attend wedding ceremonies, tidy up my house. And I also utilize my free time to teach children Kinyarwanda as our language tell them stories and teach them how to dance. I really love it when children come to my house to teach them, this shows me that even though we are in a foreign country, we still value our culture. What is the time? Oh my God I’m late; I am sorry I have to rush for my flight it was nice talking to you, with a peck on my cheek she runs out of the house.