Kigali, Rwanda – August 2025 — Thirty-one years after Rwanda began rebuilding itself, the country has made remarkable strides in technology and digital engagement. As a result, some traditional celebrations, like Umuganura, are now being celebrated more online than in real life — with people mostly sharing photos of traditional meals instead of sharing the actual food.

Every first Friday of August, Rwandans commemorate Umuganura, an annual festival deeply rooted in Rwandan culture. Historically, this was the day when communities brought the first fruits of their harvest to the king as a symbol of gratitude. Only after this ceremony would they be permitted to begin enjoying the rest of their harvest.

A Day of Celebration and Unity

Back then, the Umuganura was a sacred and joyful ceremony. People would come together to eat what they had grown — giving thanks for the blessing of rain and abundance. Families and communities would gather around a shared meal featuring traditional Rwandan dishes like:

  • Umutsima w’amasaka (millet bread) or umunayu (sorghum bread)
  • Isogi, ibihaza (pumpkin), and imyungu (local greens) served with beans or peas
  • Drinks like urwagwa (banana beer) and ikigage (sorghum beer), often sweetened with honey
  • Meals were enjoyed in traditional ways — from wooden bowls, gourds, or clay pots, using straws shared among participants.

From Eating Together to Posting Photos

Today, most of these traditional meals are no longer part of everyday diets, replaced by modern food options promoted under the country’s push for commercial agriculture. Crops like maize have largely replaced millet and sorghum, and traditional brews like urwagwa are now mostly accepted only if processed industrially and packaged in plastic bottles.

Drinking with straws (imiheha) disappeared alongside walking barefoot — practices phased out under national hygiene and modernization efforts. And while change is natural, it has come with a cultural cost.

Now, during Umuganura, photos of traditional dishes are what dominate social media — taken during village gatherings or cultural showcases organized by local leaders. Youths, unfamiliar with these foods, see them as exotic artifacts of a forgotten past.

“Enjoy the Photos” – Is That Enough?

Government institutions, companies, and individuals now mark Umuganura by sharing filtered images online with captions like “Muryoherwe Umuganura” (Enjoy the harvest day). The elderly reminisce about the strength that traditional foods gave people in the past, often commenting, “This is what made our ancestors strong — not today’s tomato-based meals.”

But shouldn’t Umuganura be about more than nostalgia?

If we can no longer gather to share real millet bread and banana beer, maybe it’s time to restore the deeper meaning of this day:

  • Giving thanks for the rain and harvest,
  • Physically sharing with family and neighbors,
  • Celebrating unity and gratitude — not just likes and comments.

Let Umuganura be a time that brings both the old and young together — a day that people prepare for, anticipate, and live, not just scroll past.

Your thoughts are welcome. As for me, I leave this space for readers—and fellow writers—to reflect. Wishing you all a joyful and meaningful Umuganura!