Nyabingi? The One Whose Divination You Seek …
Dig beneath the spiritual surface anywhere in the Virungas and quite quickly you will come upon Nyabingi. From Rwanda to Uganda to the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, when you need the gods to smile upon you with wealth or a healthy pregnancy, Nyabingi is whose divination you seek.
Nyabingi represents female energy and is concerned with fertility and prosperity in whatever endeavour you are engaged in. She speaks through lady interlocutors who, in the past when they wished to send a message, played drums. Depending on the intensity of the drumbeat, one could determine the urgency of the message the gods wanted to deliver. Yes, you heard that right. The Nyabingi faith is exclusively led by women.
Belief in Nyabingi sprung up in the late mid 15th century during the reign of Rwanda’s King Ndahiro II Cyamatare who reigned between 1455 and 1510. But it could have been earlier. The worship of Nyabingi was far from officially recognised though it persisted and played an important role in the politics and spiritual life down to the present day.
The mediums who speak on behalf of Nyabingi identify themselves as Abagirwa. Followers who seek Nyabingi’s favour bring presents of livestock, crops, beer and sometimes young girls who may later become mediums themselves. Nyabingi followers could be found all over the Gorilla Highlands region.
One of the best known mediums was a woman called Muhumuza (1870-1945). Muhumuza was born in Rwanda as Musekerande, where she led a rebellion against King Musinga after her son was denied the throne. In that rebellion, she faced off against Musinga’s German allies in the 1890s who were colonising that part of the region. She would lead another rebellion in Uganda’s Kigezi area against the British in the early 1900s until she was captured in 1911.
Today, this history can be found at The Roots of Nyabingi Heritage Center in Burera district in the very north of Rwanda.
text by Christian Ishimwe, photos by The Roots of Nyabingi Heritage Center
Interested in weekly stories about the gorilla national parks of Rwanda 🇷🇼, Uganda 🇺🇬 & DR Congo 🇨🇩? Follow us on Instagram or Facebook!
