Batwa: The Forgotten Tribe
By Charnae Evans
SOC/120
Robert Bruce
01/21/2012

In the country of Rwanda, there are three different types of divisions of ethnic groups. These ethnic groups are Hutu, Tutsi, and Twa, or better known as Batwa. There were many different reasons to why these ethnic divisions were thought to be from different origins. People believed that they all looked very much alike to one another with a few differences in appearance. One of differences that stood out to people was height. Both the Batwa and Hutu was well thought-out short, with the importance of being second-rate to others. While on the other hand, the Tutsi were taller, as well as handsome. They were thought to be authoritative because of these traits. The stereotype between them eventually clashed and the divisions between them was very political. Although they had these different traits about them, they had similarities as well. They spoke the same language, worshiped within the same religion. These were some of the main reasons to why they were to be from the same culture. When it comes to ethnicity and race, they both are considerably different. Race comes to someone’s appearance. For example, race can be the color of the skin as well as what a person is born with, like hair color, eye color, and bone structure. Ethnicity on the other hand is described as someone beliefs and nationality. For example, how a Caucasian person has small lips and narrow nose. The Caucasian race has nationalities from German, Canada, Irish, etc. Many skilled researchers believe that Batwa were the first people to reside in Rwanda, mainly because how good they were at hunting. They were the group who done most or all of the hunting. At a mere one percent, Batwa makes up Rwanda. There was a higher percentage before the massacre of genocide took place. The fight was between the Tutsis and the Hutus but sadly, the Batwa fell in the middle. It was reported that more than ten thousands Batwa lives were taken, lowering the percentage of the people. Overall, there were close to a million deaths in Rwanda. Rwanda was made up mostly of Hutus and Tutsis, but Batwa fell in between the hatred between Tutsis and Hutus. There is great number of incidents that happened among the Batwa for them to face discrimination and prejudice. The Batwa were often called thieves and many people considered them uncivilized and dirty. They were often referred to as abashenzi. The word made them to be looked at as poor, immoral, and outcast of the country. The Batwa children were teased because they could not afford textbooks, which made them beggars. An example of prejudice is making people believe that they kill and eat gorillas. It destroyed their way of living and at the end of the day it ultimately destroyed their life. Batwa used their hunting gathering skills to eat everyday, but those were banned and were forced to trade their labor for farm workers to eat. The Batwa people had become landless and were revoked of the civil rights. The biggest piece of discrimination comes from the attention they do not receive from the government. There is absolutely no help from the political standpoint and the eventually becomes the forgotten people of Rwanda. The war had really destroyed their life even more because they were pushed out. The reason to why discrimination exists is solely based on opinion. I believe no one knows the true reason why is still and forever will exist. I believe it still exist because people have selfish tendencies and the lack of education. I believe people are so bent on being the higher race that it is being ignored what hurt is really being caused to the countries and the world. It seems like people do not want to understand one another’s struggles and problems. Instead of people coming together as one helping one another, they want it to be done separately; my guess is for the most bragging rights. I believe it could have happened to the Batwa because they were viewed as the weaker tribe and the most easily to be made an example. I believe it is all for power and control of the country. Human have a bad tendency to show that they are better than someone and that could have happened to the Batwa people. To this day, the Batwa people are still faces the same struggles. No one is trying to help them enough for their race can once again stand on their own two feet. The society is still very unfair and I am hopeful that there will be change in the future. Once people begin to realize that they are killing each other off rather than growing with one another, the world will be a better place. I understand about the population and all, but no one can stop the growing numbers of babies being born, from animals to humans. I do not believe that one is better than the other, we were put here to help one another and grow, but that is not what is happening and it does not look like that is going to happen anytime soon. There have been some help for the Batwa families because there are schools being opened for the children so that they can learn. They are getting a better chance at life because they are being taught that they can get jobs outside of what they parents did, which was hunt. Although the Batwa have been built schools, they still face a hardship in the days to come. I hope that we as people can one day come together and be the people that we are supposed to be instead of the people who seem to hate one another. It is time to take a stand and become united as people. Discrimination and prejudice is not a good thing for people to live their life doing. It is hurtful and we hurt everyone at the end of the day because no one is being cared about properly. We have countries full of people starving and the countries with money are making casinos and more train stations. The Batwa people need our help let’s stand up and give them a helping hand.