Performing Arts Agencies in Rwanda

In this article, we will provide a growing list of performing arts companies/organizations working in Rwanda. If yours or the one you know is not listed, please send the details (company name, URL, a short description and logo) to lakhpin919@gmail.com  We will review it and add to the list:

1. Mashirika Performing Arts is a performing group and a pioneering professional company in Rwanda that was started by students of music, dance and drama at Makerere University Kampala in July 1997, with Hope Azeda as a leading founder member, who later moved to Rwanda in 1998. 
2. Ishyo Arts Centre is a platform for artists, art lovers, cultural professionals, entrepreneurs and anyone who is passionate about art. This successful non-governmental organization operates locally and internationally and brings cultural practitioners together to make traditional and contemporary culture available to all. Ishyo also develops and supports innovative artists, projects and training programs mainly in literature, dance, music, poetry and theatre.
3. Rwanda Arts Initiative is a Platform gathering Rwandan artists and aiming at professionalization of art industry.
4. Amizero Kompagnie a Rwandan dance, theatre and performance company based in Kigali, Rwanda. Amizero originated at the University Centre for Arts and Drama at the University of Rwanda, Butare in 2005 as Rwanda’s first professional contemporary dance company.
5. Rwanda Professional Dreamers (RPD) is a space created to initiate, promote and support innovative, challenging and creative artistic work in Rwanda.
6.  Niyo Cultural Centre teaches traditional Rwandan drumming and dance to impoverished children. They give them the confidence and inspiration to use their skills to earn money for their own education, medical expenses and day-to-day living.
7. Kaami Arts Organization was founded in January 2013, by artists spanned in different fields in Music, Dance, Theater, Painting, cinema and photography, who joined hands to enlighten the skills, the knowledge and the love of art to the people while using it as a channel for social change.
8. Ingeri Arts is an organization founded by Jean-Paul Ingabire and Emmanuel Muhire in 2013 to enhance and promote artistic education, cultural values and the well-being of the community through performing arts, mainly working with children and young audiences.  
9. Leaf International-Rwanda founded in 2006 located in Kigali (also known as Intore Cultural Troupe)
10. Kwanda Art Foundation seeks to establish a solid knowledge-base for all members and interested artists in the field of visual multi-media and performance art. 
11. Lakhtrem founded in 2014, is a creative agency that works at the intersection of creative arts and digital marketing approaches recognizing the value of the arts and makers. 

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Active Speaking - Mwalimu LAKHPIN

Active speaking is the release of inner motives, suggestions and perceptions with an effective use of gestures, mime, signs, pantomimes and voice conveying a chosen message live to a listener (audience). This communication does not always have to be live or face to face, but it can be through other kinds of media. When someone is speaking on the telephone; the way he/she uses his voice to convey the message(voice moderation), how he/she responds with clear explanations, how effective he/she understands the points, confidence and readiness to communicate…show how he/she is actively speaking. Active speaking is taking out the whole of you. 

This may seem complicated to understand, but remember when you are listening to a speech and the speaker says sentences like: “what can I say!” or you can’t see his/her face because he/she has made the whole concentration on reading; this is not an active speaker and it doesn't demonstrate that he/she is confident about the topic. Mixing many languages everywhere which is a mistake made so often by young people (adolescents and street kids) is not an active speaking skill though it is a self-defense way of communication for non-native speakers. 

Active speaking is not about pace, eloquence, fluency, utterance or grammar, ... It's all about how quick you hear, listen and respond relevantly. And that is not limited through voice mechanisms but also through written communications. There are those who speak by the word of mouth, signs or written/drawn materials, … 

Qualities Of An Active Speaker:

• Know his/her identity (who he/she is in front of the audience)
• Understand and know what is to be said
• Master and analyze what he/she got to say
• Know who to address to
• Plan how to deliver or say their arguments
• Expect the listener's reactions and interpretations about the argument
• Be self-motivated and determined
• Not be an oppressor or offender
• Listen attentively, carefully, and decisively to understand the point
• Be persuasive and dramatically oriented
• Be a good tremmer (i.e to be themselves without imitation of anyone's character).

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Inkundo Zahaciye - Mwalimu LAKHPIN

Imyeru yije indoto ziza
Isango nk’iyi ntawuyumva
Ntawuvoma utugwira ari nkehwa
Irungu ryishe, urukumbuzi rwinshi
Ntawureba ku rundi ruhande.

Ntawuca umunsi kuzasa uyu nguyu
Inkundo zihinda ibi utabona ihanga
Buri ngenga aho iri yibaza cyane
K’urya munsi dusenga twese
Zahaciye, murota ibiri aha?

Mubanye mucyuje izi ngamba murebe
Ko mwushe urubanza rugoye mu zindi
Uruje murwige murwane si toto
Itiku riraje risenye izi ndoto
Imfushyi zizaze zishake musenye.

Umwari yakunzwe na benshi ndabizi
Kubana akabyakwa na benshi muri abo
Yanga ubutati anamba ahangaha
Abo bose mutanye ntibyabagwa nabi
Ntibaretse ishaka iri simbi ntasumbwa

Umwanzuro nk’uyu uzonga benshi
Ni uw’ingenzi uba uvuye mu baya
Ubaye itabaza mu rungano rwose
Hahunge uhavuye ubutwari bugwire
Uburyarya ntibuze ubutore butorwe.

Rwema uba ureba ngutoye akajambo
Ufoye ushishoje mba nkwambuye rwose
Nzabikubwira ubu n’ejo nze bwite
Mbyemere mbyange ubu ibyemeye ni ibyo
Azanakubera biriya ndabizi.

Nta kuzongwa impumbya zizahwa
Amazi iyo anyobwa muzahatura
Mucane uwaka mudapfuretsa
Imbizi mujyane n’ihaho mugwize
Mutunge munezwe munimare inambu.

Iyo mugiye gutura mukezwe
Ba baturanyi beza basangwa
Barahura kandi banazi Imana
Bisungwa batukwa ingenzi
Bamwe basumba umuvandimwe w’iyo.

Ab’ubu barazwi murazi icyo cyago
Amezi aba atanu, umunani gatanya
Kazarusenya ari amagambo
Mu mbuga zanyu mutsinde amagambo
Ayubaka atorwe mubane muhuje.

Icyasha mbatoye ubu mwumvane
Ijyamugambi ribaze imubyimba
Hungu na kobwa mubonse mukuze
Murere itsinda uburere bukwiye
Imana izi ibyanyu rudakumirwa.

Rukundo rugwiye wa mama nyabintu
Mutuzo ndacyahwa udukwije iyi ndebo
Rwimana-myanya iyo intati ziganje
Rwego rw’ingo zemeza intego
Igikumba ukirinzwe hareba urahawe.

Waramukunze ubigendera cyane
Umwita uwawe utaragera umunsi
Irungu ntaryo umurinda ibi cyane
Buri munsi uti: “cherie, wariye?
Ngaho usinzire neza kandi undote!”

Undi ati yee! Nawe kandi!
Atuje yumva atareka ugenda
Wamubwira ngo ngaho ntiyumve
Akubwiye za undaze, uti ndaje ari ntabyo
Guhera uyu munsi ni ndeba nkurebe.

Murenze ahangaha muzaba mubanye
Iby’irungu ubu ntabyo mugiye mu rwanyu
Mubikane ibanga iri mwigaga kera
Musangire byose kabone n’agahinda
Izuba niriza muryote urunana.

Nyiramukawe rukundo ureba
Akunda ikinwanwa ndamuzi murebe
Akunda utugambo turyoshye urabizi
Turumbye uba utsinzwe irya ngambo urayica
Ya nseko mbazi na kera ituzonge

Muberanye cyuki nta rukiko
Mushimanye ubwanyu bitakozwe n’undi
Mubwizanya ayanyu amagambo mutoye
Murenze imigende utununga murusa
Ngo umunsi iri shagare…n’ibindi!

Mujyanye mbabwire ibi twabuze henshi
Mukeye birambye ibyo ukwezi gusenga
Mureba bihanze bitwemeza igwiro
Mutuje bisura ubuhoro mu muryango
Ndareba amasura ngatikira ahazaza.

Mwambarampuzu azikwije mbikeshwa
Murenzi utaranza amabanga rukundo
Izi nkesha mukwiye zisumbye iz’i Ntora
Na ba basaza batazi iry’ingenzi
Bo kwa Nyuzizindi batazi ahari ijyo.

Za ngumya cyane zitazi ihebuza
Ba banyacyaka batazi urunywero
Ba ndi mu bandi batiga uko baba
Bakimena amaso bareba ibirenga
Si mu abo mbaruzi mbareba ahacanye.

Twaje abari imandwa zanyu
Ka gakungu kagiye gahombwe
Rwa ruzuba rucanye tuyaga,
K’uyu munsi gushima iyi ntera
Idaterwa na bose mubizi ibyo cyane.

Ababyeyi bari aha izo mpundu zijyane
Abasaza iri teka baryemeye cyane
Inkwano ivumera iti ngiye aho ngomba
Incanda zitera: “njye njyakoya nk’ubu!!”
Mutera intambwe tureba iyo ngendo

Mugwize imiryango mubyaze zinyobwe
Mushake ifaranga mukwize imibyare
Rucime zanyu zikwire uru Rwanda
Umubyeyi mumuzi iw’abera tugende;
Muzungu ati: “Mpore ntimugatsikire!”

                © Mwalimu LAKHPIN

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Reasons Why We Need To Be Happy

In my previous article “how to be happy in life” I stated different ways to search for happiness and note that the happiness issue that I cope about is totally personal to be thorough. You will never see happiness separate from passion i.e the things you love and enjoy doing. In this article, you will find the hints on why we need happiness. Why is it important and the reasons why we should find our happiness: 

1. Happiness is our birthright: Everyone has the right to be happy in any ways. Remember the first caring and loving person is your mother, but whatever she fight for is your happiness throughout your existence. She doesn’t give up even when you get older. She doesn’t sleep when you are sad. She is always trying to find out ways for you to make it. This shows how important is your happiness to your mother. But I need you to know that she doesn’t do it for guaranteed, she does it for her happiness in return because it's her passion taking care of you and her comfort to be a mother of a happy kiddo.

So, a happy person pleases others but a sad confuses. When people confuse you, they keep you in isolation fearing that you would be a problem to their happiness. And all of this automatically demonstrate that we were born to do nothing else but to be happy.

2. It is a divine principle. [Romans 12:12] 
“Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer.” This shows you that happiness will also help you win your tribulations effectively.  1 Thessalonians 5:15-16 “Rejoice always!”   Psalm 32:11 “Be glad in the lord and rejoice, you righteous; and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!”   Isaiah 65:18 “But be glad and rejoice in what I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem as a rejoicing, and her people a joy.” Happiness is also a master power to doing the right. It is an outcome of peacemaking, Proverbs 12:20 “Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, but counselors of peace have joy.” Proverbs 14:10    Ecclesiastes 5:18-19. 

   Thus, we were created for nothing else but to be happy and worship God!

3. Happiness causes satisfaction, prosperity, joy and hope. 
If you didn’t know, everything we do expect our souls to get pleased as a final result; be it eating, clothing, singing, studying, loving,… So happiness is the only important thing one should seek.

4. Happiness is a give-back. 

In reference to Rwandan culture of partying, a happy man in the ceremony could bestow a cow to his friend or vice versa. The things you do when you are happy may not be that tangible but will always be in recollection. Anyway, let no one confuse happiness (the emotion of being happy, happy state/mood) with joy (a feeling of extreme happiness or cheerfulness, especially related to the acquisition or expectation of something good). I always talk about the inner feelings that are not even necessary to cause the physical reactions. It is not getting what you expected that much, but living sated throughout your life. It is never something occasional that you may strive for than a durable stuff. 

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