Neither Tutsi, Nor Hutu: A Rwandan Memoir: Search for Healing Meaning & Identity after Witnessing Genocide & Civil War

by Prosper Ishimwe

Overview

PROSPER ISHIMWE was an eight-year-old child when genocide and civil war devastated his Rwandan homeland. His story of survival and healing offers both a moving tribute to his fellow Rwandans and a stirring reflection on identity and self-awareness. Ishimwe's drive to share his story is rooted in the conviction that sharing authentic stories is the surest path to a realization of humanity's oneness. Ishimwe recounts his personal experiences during the 1990s genocide, civil war, and aftermath. He outlines the historical backdrop of Rwanda to offer a deeper understanding of the political upheaval and cultural attitudes. Most importantly, with references to great thinkers such as Martin Luther King, Jr., Viktor Frankl, and Paolo Freire, the author inspires us with his belief that individuals, groups, and countries—no matter what "side" of the conflict they take—have the power and responsibility to achieve healing and unity through acknowledgment, reconciliation, and inclusion. "Neither Tutsi, Nor Hutu" projects a strong, enduring sense of hope.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781098322359
Publisher:	BookBaby
Publication date:	07/07/2020
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	264
File size:	641 KB

About the Author

Prosper Ishimwe is a Rwandan citizen living in America. He was eight years old in 1994 when the genocide and war broke out in his homeland and took the lives of over 1,000,000 people.

Table of Contents

Preface ix

Introduction: A Brief History of "Inter-Ethnic" Conflict in Rwanda xv

Part I My Story

Deciding to Tell My Story 3

My Story Begins 7

"Childhood Home" 15

Things Fall Apart 17

The President Is Dead 23

Horror Comes Home 29

It's Time to Get Dressed 33

The Hill of Blood and Tears 37

Face to Face with Death 49

Rain of Bullets 61

Reunion with Lily and Valery 67

At My Uncle's in Kigali 73

Living Like an Orphan 85

The Big Reunion 95

Rebuilding 101

Teen Years in the Seminary 109

Father Kayisabe 117

Go Ask Your Ethnicity 123

From Trauma to Peace 133

Inclusive Commemoration 139

Coming to America 145

The American Dream: The Price of Freedom 149

Part II The Abyss of Hope

Freedom and Healing 157

Grieving and Honoring My Mother 161

"A Love Letter to My Mother" 166

My Father 171

Making Sense of My Identity and Rwandan Inter-Ethnic Conflicts by Resisting Binary Thinking 175

Your Heroes/My Villains? 183

Wrestling with Truth 189

Justice 193

Cultivating Our Gardens: Victimhood vs. Responsibility 199

Death 205

Happiness and Meaning 211

Obedience to Authority, Group Pressure, and Conformity 217

Breaking the Cycle of Violence: The Politics of Unity and Reconciliation 221

Igihango: Forging a New Identity, and Thinking as a Nation-State 227

Can Rwanda Tell a Story of the Genocide and War That Is Inclusive? 231

Conclusion 235

Acknowledgements 237