BURUNDI (From a local name meaning “land of the Kirundi-speakers.”)
Some facts I’d like to mention about Burundi:
Demonym: Burundian(s)
Drive on the: right
| HDI (2007) | ▲ 0.394 (low) (174th) | |
-President: Pierre Nkurunziza (Hutu)
-Political parties:
Parties represented in one or both chambers of Parliament
- National Council for the Defense of Democracy (Conseil National Pour la Défense de la Démocratie, CNDD) – Smaller faction of the former main Hutu rebel group led by Léonard Nyangoma
- National Council for the Defense of Democracy-Forces for the Defense of Democracy (Conseil National Pour la Défense de la Démocratie–Forces pour la Défense de la Démocratie, CNDD-FDD) – Largest faction of the former main Hutu rebel group led by Pierre Nkurunziza.
- Front for Democracy in Burundi (Front pour la Démocratie au Burundi, FRODEBU) – Predominantly Hutu party that won democratic elections in 1993. Jean Minani is president of the party.
- Movement for the Rehabilitation of Citizens-Rurenzangemero (Mouvement pour la Réhabilitation du Citoyen-Rurenzangemero, MRC-Rurenzangemero) – Predominantly Tutsi party led by Epitace Bayaganakandi.
- Party for National Recovery (Parti pour le redressement national, PARENA) – Predominantly Tutsi party led by former president Jean-Baptiste Bagaza
- Union for National Progress (Union pour le Progrès national, UPRONA) – Predominantly Tutsi, former sole legal party. Led by Jean-Baptiste Manwangari
–Coat of Arms:
-Society:
Most Burundians live in rural areas. Since the hilly landscape has hindered the development of villages, small clans live as extended families in hilltop compounds called rugos. These families usually farm the surrounding hills to avoid tsetse flies in the valleys. A large portion of the population lacks health care and even safe drinking water, which causes many people to seek traditional and herbal medicine to treat diseases. UNESCO and the Peace Corps have set up programs to help improve living conditions.
The majority of the population is Christian, though Islam and forms of animism are also present. Arranged marriages are not uncommon, with the groom’s family sometimes paying a bride price.
The two official languages of Burundi are French and Kirundi. Kirundi is the most widely spoken language, though French is used in most written or official documents. A smaller population of Burundians speaks a dialect of Swahili.
City residents often take a siesta, and most businesses will be closed in the early afternoon.
-Education and environment: The central university for Burundi is the University of Burundi in Bujumbura. There are several museums in the cities, such as the Burundi Geological Museum in Bujumbura and the Burundi National Museum and the Burundi Museum of Life in Gitega.
There are several wildlife and nature preserves, and the southern town of Rutana contains a monument to the source of the Nile River.
-Famous Burundians: Mwami Ntare I Rushatsi (c.1500), a warrior and astute administrator, succeeded in unifying the country under Tutsi rule. Mwambutsa IV (1913–78), the last mwami under the Belgian administration, was deposed in July 1966. Prince Louis Rwagasore (1930–61), the son of Mwambutsa, was the founder of UPRONA. Michel Micombero (1940–83) was president from 1966 until 1976, when he was replaced by Jean-Baptiste Bagaza (b.1946).
Read more: Famous burundians – Burundi http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Africa/Burundi-FAMOUS-BURUNDIANS.html#ixzz0s399NJI8
-National food and drink: Burundian cuisine often contains red kidney beans, and is not usually accompanied by sweet foods or dessert. During celebrations and gatherings, Burundians drink homemade banana wine and beer, sometimes drinking through straws from a single large container.
In some areas, brochettes and frites are a popular remnant of the Belgian colonial period. A national brewery produces Primus and Amstel beers.
The national dish of Burundi is Uji Porridge (Melie Meal-Pap), which is a corn meal porridge. The following is the recipe for it, followed by Tomato Stew Chicken. Recipe and photo courtesy of MyHungryTum:
Uji Porridge (Mealie Meal-Pap)
Ingredients
4 tbsp Maize Meal
½ tsp Salt
¼ cup cold Water
2 ½ to 3 cups cold Water
Butter to serve
Preparation
Blend the maize meal, salt & ¼ cup water together to form a smooth paste. Meanwhile, bring 2 ½ to 3 cups (depending on the size of your pot) of cold water to the boil. Once boiling, add the paste to it and stir to prevent lumps forming. Turn the heat down and allow to simmer (stirring occasionally) for about 12 to 15 minutes. Serve sprinkled with a few small knobs of butter.
Tomato stew with Chicken
Ingredients:
3 breast of Chicken cleaned and cut into 1” chunks before cooking
2- 14 oz cans of finely diced tomatoes
1 large slicing tomato diced
3-4 cups of Chicken Broth
Salt and Pepper
1 tbsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Coriander Powder
1 tsp Garlic Powder
4 cloves garlic sliced and crushed
4 shallots peeled and sliced
1 large white or yellow onion diced
2 tbsp vegetable oil
Preparation:
Season chicken cubes with salt and pepper.
In a Medium Pot, add oil and bring to medium high heat.
Add shallots and garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes till they soften and become aromatic.
Add the dry spices to the oil and sauté for an additional minute while rapidly stirring to avoid burning.
Add the canned tomatoes and onion with 1-2 cups of chicken stock. Bring to a boil and add the diced fresh tomato. Allow to simmer for 5 minutes.
Add remaining chicken stock and chicken. Return to a boil and reduce to simmer for around 1 hour 15 minutes till the chicken is tender. Serve hot over Mealie-Meal Pap.
Serves 6
For another version of Uji Porridge, as a breakfast meal, add brown sugar, butter, and milk to serve.
-National pasttime: Football is a popular pastime throughout the country, as are mancala games. Many Burundians celebrate Christian holidays and Burundian Independence Day, though the largest celebration occurs on New Year’s Day with feasting and traditional drumming and dancing.
-National literature: strong literary and oral tradition, which relays history and life lessons through storytelling, poetry, and song. This is evident in kivivuga amazina, an improvisational poetry contest played by cattle herders, in which they boast their abilities or accomplishments.
-Music of Burundi: Traditional drumming is an important part of Burundian cultural heritage, as indicated by the world-famous Royal Drummers of Burundi. Traditional dance often accompanies the drumming, which is frequently seen in celebrations and family gatherings. Some Burundian artisans have special songs to accompany different stages of their work.
Burundian-Belgian musicians like Éric Baranyanka from the Burundese royal family, Ciza Muhirwa and, especially, Khadja Nin, have more recently gained prominence. Since the music is from the mind and soul, it manily expresses what the people in Burundi feel and what they think when they beat the drums.
One feature of Burundian men’s folk songs is the inanga accompaniment. The following videos are Burundian music, folk, and contemporary.
-Bunrundi authors:
- Donatien Bihute (1940– )
- Antoine Kaburahe (1965– )
- Daniel Kabuto
- Esther Kamatari (1951– )
- Colette Samoya Kiruya (1952– )
- Barbara Kururu Ndimurukundo (1950– )
- David Niyonzima (1959– )
- Marc Rwabahungu (1956– )
- Richard Ndayizigamiye (1964 – )
- Dieudonné Ntakarahera (1964 – )
- Louis Kamatari
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Burundi Map
Fast Facts
- Population:
- 7,795,000
- Capital:
- Bujumbura; 378,000
- Area:
- 27,834 square kilometers (10,747 square miles)
- Language:
- Kirundi, French, Swahili
- Religion:
- Roman Catholic, indigenous beliefs, Muslim, Protestant
- Currency:
- Burundi franc
- Life Expectancy:
- 43
- GDP per Capita:
- U.S. $500
- Literacy Percent:
- 52
Burundi Flag
Map
Small, poor, densely populated, and landlocked, Burundi lies just south of the Equator in central Africa. From the capital, Bujumbura, on Lake Tanganyika, a great escarpment rises to fertile highlands. Agriculture employs 90 percent of the people, with most being subsistence farmers. Since independence in 1962, Burundi has been plagued by ethnic conflict between the majority Hutus and the Tutsis, who tend to dominate the government and army—but are only 14 percent of the population. A 2003 cease-fire and new government offer hope for peace.
ECONOMY
- Industry: Light consumer goods (blankets, shoes, soap), assembly of imported components
- Agriculture: Coffee, cotton, tea, corn; beef
- Exports: Coffee, tea, sugar, cotton, hides
Burundi drummers perform during a tribal ceremony in Ninga.
Photograph by Bruno De Hogues/Getty Images
—Text From National Geographic Atlas of the World, Eighth Edition
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