IN THE FIELD: The Culture Clash

During our course, Introduction to Cinema and Video Techniques, our group is producing a short documentary about the clash between traditional versus modern/western culture in Rwanda. We have already made contacts with one traditional troupe, and we will focus on one man, Kalinganire who has been dancing a traditional style of dance called UMUHAMIRIZO since 1980s. We had already discussed our story ideas, because of this period of 16 commemoration of Tutsi Rwandan genocide, we are obliged to wait to shoot when they begin rehearsals again. We are planning to contact some other people from the Institute of National Museum of Rwanda, even at Rukari at Royal Museum in Nyanza district after the commemoration period.

One of the challenges that we have faced, which are the general challenges that Rwandan journalists often face, is one of our characters proposed that we could first give him some drink so that he provide us the information we are looking for. Another problem is we have been asked to bring letters or any other justification from higher authorities or leaders of an institution in order to be granted an interview. Meanwhile, the information is getting older and at the end, it’s no longer a current event. Also, the relatively high cost of transportation hinders journalists from reaching places where he can get crucial information to make the story more attractive. Those are main challenges we went through, but through it all, we hope that we will end up with a good outcome, if we put efforts, courage and passion in what we are doing.