Kigali Memorial Museum

While we were in East Africa we were keen to go to the genocide memorial museum in Kigali. For me it was so shocking to learn that something this horrific had happened just over 10 years ago and I didn't even fully appreciate what had happened. Even today being in Rwanda you could see the effects, we spoke to people on the streets that had lost both of their parents to the genocide and saw people with no legs getting around on their hands because they can't afford wheelchairs. It really puts things into perspective and makes you think about whats really important. In our society where we idolise celebrities and worry about clothing and people get counselling for the smallest of problems. All these people had were life, family and fertility and yet there were people that wanted to take those as well. 

         The museum itself was very moving. They told you the story through pictures and videos. Starting with what Rwanda was like before any colonisation it slowly progressed through to Rwanda today. The one video that touched me the most was one of some of the survivors talking about what had happened to them and or their relatives, the people talking were of a similar age to me. The video combined these stories with horrific images of injuries on children, dead mutilated people on the streets and weapons. It was difficult to believe some of things humans were capable of doing to each other. Whatever the museum did it was always going to evoke a lot of emotion however, they were very good at making you connect and relate to what had happened. A room in the centre housed many photos of those who suffered, they were personal photos of weddings, school, and general family photos. Another room had   clothing and another skeletons. The clothing and the skeletons seemed to prove and bring home that it had actually happened whereas the personal touch of both the videos and photos made you relate and connect emotionally. 

          Walking through the streets of kigali it was difficult to believe that 10 years ago the bodies of family members of people we met may have been lying there. After visiting the museum it almost tainted the country everywhere I went I couldn't stop picturing what may have happened at that place.