History of Burundi and its Music

The Burundi is the central African nation that is closely interconnected with Rwanda; geographically, historically and culturally The percussion musical instrument like the karyenda is one of the central significance of the country. Internationally, its country has produced the music orchestra royal drummers of Burundi.

source of picture: www.ingomaplanet.org

The Burundian-Belgian musicians such as Eric Baranyanka from the Burundese royal family, Ciza Muhirwa and especially Khadja Nin, who have currently gained more popularity, since the music is from the mind and soul, it mainly express what the people in Burundi feel and what they think when they beat the drums. One characteristic of the Burundian men’s folk composers is the inanga accessory.

The Burundi is located in the central Africa and it is an overcrowded, rugged, mountainous country where eking out an existence has never been easy, this is also a land that is steeped in the tradition and refined ritual. The Burundians traditionally is known as the king, or mwami as a fertility priest whose health and sexual ability is termed with the fertility of their land. The indigenous religious beliefs and practices have persisted even though about 65% of the population converted Catholicism under the colonial rule.

In contrary to the tall, slender Watusi, the Hutu tend to be short stature and less marital, the Watusi live on a food of cow’s milk clotted with blood drawn from their lyre horned cattle, while the Hutu dietary major is bean. Though the days of the monarchy, the noble Watusi conquered the Hutu majority, forcing them to provide their service and tribute that is often in form of beer brewed from bananas or sorghum. And in the orchestra gatherings, drinking large quantities of this beer, the Burundians sought to forget the disgrace of their existence through composing. The main lyrics that were seen as impromptus for the people of Burundi are natural poets. One of the state occasions or when a main dignitary was being entertained, skilled Hutu percuss in flowing red togas beat out the rhythms in honour of the guests.

Burundi was invaded by the Germans at the end of the 19^th century and it came under the Belgian control during the World War I until 1948, Belgium managed the place as part of a League of Nations Mandate and after that, as a United Nations Trusteeship territory. In July 1962, the kingdom of Burundi regained independence but its existence since then has been marked by increased ethnic anger between the ruling Watusi minority and the Hutu Majority. Then when the Burundi’s main Watusi army defeated the kingdom in 1966, and Captain Michel Micombero a Tutsi from southern Burundi that seize power (there were no elections) and became the first president of the republic.

In spite the apparently carefree lyrics and vitality of the music heard here, the Burundi’s current history has been sad, the ethnic fighting that broke out again in 1972 and 1973 which resulted to the death of more 200,000 Burundians and more than 80,000 Hutu have  left the country, the selections and artists represented in this recording are from the northwest Burundi, this place is heavily inhabited by the Hutu and several of these performers may well have been among the victims of this latest conflict.