On June 7, 2017, Burundi celebrated its heritage with the launch of a handbook on the cultural values of Burundi. The manual will be available in schools across the country within one month.
“We have the opportunity to urge parents to revive the irreplaceable role of the home school around the fire”, says Louis Bazubwabo.
According to traditional values, Burundians had their own ways of solving problems, socializing and praying. Nowadays, those values are declining.
On Wednesday 7 June 2017, Bujumbura celebrated a day dedicated to positive Burundian cultural values. The UN agency for science and culture, UNESCO, jointly organized a day of meetings to remind the youth of the values they inherited from their ancestors.
Those values have reinforced togetherness in the past. Now, it is hoped that they will help the youth to play a role in improving their environment and to put an end to distrust, suspicion and revenge tactics that prevail in some parts of the country. UNESCO produced a manual that will be distributed to all secondary schools of the country. The manual will be incorporated into the existing curriculum.
“We have the opportunity to urge parents to revive the irreplaceable role of the home school around the fire”, says Louis Bazubwabo, a UNESCO representative.
“Legends, folktales and riddles help to get across our values gently”, he added. “Youth are now forgetting and confusing the concepts of Ubuntu (humanity), Ubugabo (manhood), Ubupfasoni (dignity) etc which are not replaceable”, Bazubwabo said.
A specialist consultant in anthropology, Prof. Domitien Ndayiziga, is preparing the manual. In one month, the manual will be available and distributed to schools and youth groups.
Youth should learn Burundi’s cultural values
“We imitate foreign culture and at the same time ours is dying out. In some corners of the countryside, there still some respect of the culture. In cities, it is difficult because there are many people from different cultures”, an old man said.
“Hence, the youth should be taught Burundi’s cultural values otherwise the country will lose its identity”, he added.
Divine, a twenty four year old, said she regrets the fact that Burundi’s cultural values are declining. “Nowadays in social circles, cultures are mixed up”, she said.
She said the youth should develop themselves without rejecting their culture. “I suggest the government should teach the youth cultural values because many of them do not even know what this concept means”, she added.
IWACU Open Data
