Symbols, not tokens

RWANDA is planning to unveil a new flag, new national anthem and new emblem. The plans have been in the offing ever since ethnic violence that was stoked by a variety of factors, including overt symbols of sectarian division, resulted in the mass murder of hundreds of thousands in 1994. Many may dismiss this as simple tokenism, but history teaches us that symbols do indeed have significance that communities can either abuse or build on. Rwanda’s current anthem, for instance, makes reference to ethnic divisions. In the apartheid era, South Africa’s anthem was a loud manifestation of the white supremacist nation: it was in Afrikaans, the principal language of the then oppressive white minority. The Swastika, which overshadowed the national flag, came to symbolise all that was evil in Nazi Germany, and is still instantly recognisable as a representation of the 20th century’s darkest hour. In contrast, symbols like the American flag, the Stars and Stripes, and its anthem, the Star Spangled Banner, have been central to the modeling of the US as a contiguous, proud society. In Kenya, the national anthem, in both English and Kiswahili, is a popular tune that is sang in schools and at the commencement of meetings. Even the crested crane, while we still do not promote it aggressively, is a widely recognised feature of Uganda, ranging from its elegant poise on the national flag through the pen name of the national football team and the (defunct) airline, to currency notes. But our most distinctive symbol probably remains the motto, ‘For God and My Country’. Rwanda is blessed to have Kinyarwanda as a national language that unites all and discriminates against none. A new anthem in that language, with a positive message that can take in the motto as well, together with well thought-out emblem and flag should go a long way in consolidating a new Rwanda.