IBISIGO

The Royal Myths

Attention has been drawn, in the introductory part, to the fact that the royal myths are patterned on the royal lists, so that they follow the chronological order given in the. Authors who have collected Rwandan myths have also tended to arrange them according to the order provided in these lists. A case in point is A. Kagame's Inganji Kalinga, and A. Coupez & Th. Kamanzi, whose Récits historiques rwanda (1964) are presented in this same order. In our retelling of these myths, we shall keep to the same system, and follow the traditional division of the royal lists into three dynasties.
1. The Divine Kings, Ibimanuka
2. The Kings of the Cord, Abami b'Umushumi
3. The Kings of Mind, Abami b'Ibitekerezo
The Myth of Kigwa covers the "history" of the first dynasty of the Divine Kings, Ibimanuka. The Myth of Gihanga recounts the deeds of the Second Dynasty of the Kings of the Cord, Abami b'Umushumi, while the Myth of Cyirima introduces the history of the Third Dynasty of the Kings of Mind, Abami b'Ibitekerezo. It should be noted, although a list of kings is given under the first and second dynasties, these are not really individualised rulers, but symbolic names descriptive of the successive developmental processes of the first two great periods of Mankind's early history. The mythological accounts for these two periods is therefore pretty much reduced to the story of the founders of these dynasties.

Myth versus History
By contrast, the personae under the Kings of Mind are highly individualised, with distinct "biographies" for each king on the list, so that the material under this latter group is much more abundant than the first two put together. We shall therefore present the mythological accounts relating to the individual kings' names as they appear on this third list.
It must be stressed that even under this third dynasty, the Kings' Lists do not draw a line between mythological kings, on the one hand, and historical kings on the other. In this context, historical kings are those about whom, even in the absence of written documents and other types of material evidence; there exist positive oral data proving their actual existence.
Based on this criterion, some researchers have suggested that the earliest name about whom oral tradition provides actual confirmation is Cyirima Rujugira, who reigned some time between the second and fourth quarters of the 18th century. This does not mean that the previous kings did not exist: it only means that in the present state of our knowledge, we have no way of confirming the information provided by oral tradition.
Neither should this cut-off point be interpreted to mean that mythology does not tell the truth: it does, though in its own language, which is symbolic, and for its own purposes, which are not so much the recording of material facts than the accounts of the achievements of the human spirit as best represented by the deeds of the kings. All we are saying is that historical methods have not found a way of ascertaining the validity of the claims made by oral tradition. Future developments in historical research methods may bring changes in our present assumptions. This is an important point to keep in mind.

Gahindiro, the last of the mythical Kings
However, for our present purposes, we shall consider as myths the accounts given by Rwanda Tradition up to and including Yuhi Gahindiro, who closes the third cycle of the Kings of Mind. This decision may appear arbitrary at first sight, but it is actually dictated by the symbolic content of the material provided. Indeed, the very name "Yuhi Gahindiro" is in itself a symbolic message:
• the royal name "Yuhi" is the fourth and last name in each of the shorter four-step alternating cycles which make the "spiral cyclic" succession pattern characteristic of the third dynasty
• after each four-step cycle, there occurs a break, or transition period: an invasion, a civil war, a palace revolution, etc., with some kind of an interregnum or a bridge king, leading into the next sub-cycle
• the personal name "Gahindiro" suggests the closing of a gate (guhindira), in this case, the gate to a cycle.
A closer examination of the list below will make this somewhat clearer:

1. Cyirima Rugwe
2. Kigeri Mukobanya
3. Mibambwe-Mutabazi Sekarongoro
4. Yuhi Gahima

Ndahiro Cyamatare
Ruganzu Ndori

1. Mutara Semugeshi
2. Kigeri Nyamuheshera
3. Mibambwe-Mutabazi Gisanura
4. Yuhi Mazimpaka

Karemera Rwaka

1. Cyirima Rujugira
2. Kigeri Ndabarasa
3. Mibambwe-Mutabazi Sentabyo
4. Yuhi Gahindiro
One further point needs to be stressed: while these kings may be actual individuals who have really existed, their "biographies" are decidedly archetypal and mythological, as suggested by their peculiar spiral cyclic succession pattern, with the five royal names, recurring in a four-step cycle. Therefore, these biographies are indeed historical, and the facts they recount are real, but only in so far as they concern the history of the inner development of the Human Family - the Sons of Muntu. Indeed, the spiral cyclic succession pattern symbolises gentle ascension or evolutionary development, as opposed to mere recurrence.
For further discussion on the symbology of the Rwandan Royal Lists, see the section on Ubucurabwenge.

The Major Royal Myths:
Kigwa
Gihanga
Ruganzu Bwimba
Cyirima Rugwe
Kigeri Mukobanya
Mibambwe-Mutabazi Sekarongoro
Yuhi Gahima
Ndahiro Cyamatare
Ruganzu Ndori
Mutara Semugeshi
Kigeri Nyamuheshera
Mibambwe-Mutabazi Gisanura
Yuhi Mazimpaka
Karemera Rwaka
Cyirima Rujugira
Kigeri Ndabarasa
Mibambwe-Mutabazi Sentabyo
Yuhi Gahindiro