The Kabira Forest: A place the Rebels called home

We recently took a trip to the Kabira Forest in Muramvya; a National Reserve that has been closed for many years after the genocide due to it being inhabited with the rebels. (Pictured above is a child from the Batwa Village on the edge of the Kabira). This forest at one time was known for inhabiting baboons, gorillas and monkeys among other animals; during the war it was said that all the animals were killed for food and also for other uses. We hiked through the mountains viewing a beautiful landscape as we learned a little more about what took place in the mountains over the past years. There remains a place deep in the mountains where you will find posts in the ground where the rebels would put their beds to keep them elevated along with some remains of torn soldier uniforms (also pictured above). The Kabira Mountains are just now in the last few years beginning to open back up for people to see their beauty; with the last rebel group "FNL" surrendering weapons and power in early 2009. As we hiked through the mountains, I began to imagine some of the things that would take place there as this was a heavy populated area with rebels and the war stories are horrific. It's a long rugged dirt road that will bring you deep into the middle of nowhere... almost a sense of being the only one on the mountain. Unfortunately, many trucks get stuck in the rugged terrain, as we saw one on our way out and stopped to help. On the edge of the Kabira Forest you will find a Batwa Village with many children coming to greet you. The Batwa are the smallest of the three ethnic groups in Burundi making up 1-3 % of the population in Burundi. They still hold many of the traditions from their ancestors like: living in circular hay roofed huts, sticking together in tight villages of Batwa and making beautiful clay pots used for cooking, to carry water and to sell. We appreciated our time walking through the forest with the Local guide as he explained the history of the Kabira Forest. The Kabira holds many cries among many mysteries within its borders. Until next time...

Kirundi Vocabulary: umusozi - mountain