Strength In the Struggle

Key:

Black: Names

Red: Angel

Blue: Ines

Green: Both

Angel: Kera 

Ines: Kera cyane 

Habayeho wowe

Habaho njewe

Habaho twebge

Batubgira bati

Ines: Wowe GAHUTU 

Angel: Wowe Gatutsi 

Ines: Nawe Gatwa

Nuko, (clap) biratangira

Turatandukana

Ines : Turangana 

Angel : Tutangira gusenyana

Ines : Tusenya imitima 

Angel : Tusenya Ingo

Ines : Tusenya Imiryango 

Angel : Tusenya Ubushuti

Tusenya Igihugu

Angel: Bamwe muri twe turicana 

Ines: Bamwe muri twe turapfa 

Angel: Abandi barahunga 

Twese, tusigarana agahinda

With broken hearts

No homes, no families, or friends

With exiled women and men

In countries that didn’t belong to them

It almost felt like an end

We started to pretend

That we were people who we weren’t

Angel: We held passports of Ugandans, 

Ines: We held passports of Kenyans 

We spoke NOT our mother tongue,

Ines: And spoke Lingala, 

Angel: Kirundi, 

Ines: Swahili 

Angel: and Luganda 

Ines: We knew how to cook their foods, 

Angel: We knew how to dance their dances 

We knew their cultures and traditions

We did it so well,

You couldn’t tell

The difference, if you tried

But the tears of the past that we cried

Just couldn’t be denied.

Ines: And the people outside didn’t help us

Angel: You see, 

There were NO political, or Economic, “interests” in Rwanda

So no wonder,

They left us alone

We had to figure it out, on our own.

Angel: While they played pretend during the day

Ines: They lay awake during the night

Angel: Constantly thinking of a vision

Ines: They finally made a decision

Angel: It was time to make things right

Ironic how some times we have to fight…

For peace.

Angel: Hey but we were tired of TEARS

Ines: Sick of “sorry”

Angel: Weak from worry

Ines: And they made a choice,

Angel: To give back their people a voice

Ines: They strategized and analyzed on how to transform

Angel: Put on their boots and uniform

Ines: Marched towards their borders with persistence

Angel: And ready for the risk resistance.

Listen my people were tired of pretense

Ines: They knew the journey ahead was intense

Angel: but they disregarded their dreams

Ines: Joined forces and made teams

Angel: It was time to silence their people’s screams

They had NO heroes to call on,

Angel: Because batman was too busy

Ines: Superman was scared -

And NO ONE else cared

So we had to become, our OWN heroes.

Angel: And somehow make millions out of zeroes

Ines: Something out of nothings

Angel: Cities out of ash

Ines: Dust into grass.

But listen, we didn’t just pass, our task

We excelled and expelled

Ines: Division,

Angel: Segregation, 

Ines: Discrimination, 

Angel: And corruption

We built a nation

Ines: Far beyond our imaginations

Angel: Far beyond the world’s expectations.

Ines: It. Was. Sleepless. Nights. Of. Planning. And. Meetings

Angel: It was time, 

Ines: blood, 

Angel: sweat, 

Ines: work,

Angel: And tears

It was SACRIFICE

And it came at an expensive price.

SO WE, SALUTE - YOU!

Angel: You found strength in struggle

Ines: Bravery in your bones

Angel: Courage in your thoughts

You have hearts of KINGS

And for those who deny it

Tout le monde sait 

Que les faits 

Sont têtus 

Angel: You make us so proud to be Rwandese

Ines: We even carry our flags over seas

Angel: We might speak with accents

But don’t be mistaken please

We, are RWANDESE

Angel: Rwanda is the red to our lips,

Ines: The brown to our skin,

Angel: The white to our eyes,

Ines: The black to our hair.

RWANDA, is not just a place, it is who we are.

Angel: We are so proud to be Rwandese

That our bodies ache/itch for us to tattoo it, somewhere on our skin

In case you can’t feel it from within

We, are Rwandese

Because of you

We-are-one people

Angel: One nation 

Ines: One language

Angel: One culture

Who now carry, a Rwandan passport

With ONE identity

Yes we are proud, to be Rwandese

That we would fight on the forefronts like Ndabaga, and Fred Rwigema-

Yes, we would go that far

For the Ishema, 

Of Rwanda.

Angel: But we wouldn’t have been here without you

Ines: So for one more time

We, salute – you

Happy liberation day!!!!

Written by : Angel Uwamahoro and Ines Giramata

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3vFhwpmYpI

This One

This One by Angel Uwamahoro

For my dear friend and sister: Natty!

This one is not to be 

read out loud,

This one you will read

with your hand covered,

over your mouth-

incase you wish to utter a sound-

This one is to be silenced 

like incest rape-

destroyed like Janet jackson’s sex tape

and the innocent girl’s blood

on the white drapes.

this one, is to be hidden

this one is to be forbidden.

For it brings on grown men shame-

It tells their names.

This one is to be banned 

to be presented in crowds-

This one is to have no applaud-

This one is to be silenced like the awkward 

conversation of unpaid rent- 

this one is a threat-

This one is to be denied 

like the girl you said you never met

yet-

you slept with her for days and days

over and over again

nights and nights-

This one will cause fights-

Behind bedroom doors-

He said he didn’t but you know he did-

And your best friend can’t look at you the same anymore-

This one-

This one I shouldn’t have written-

This one is heart splittin’

This one they use for juju-

It’s bad luck to listen to-

this one is politically incorrect-

this one won’t save you even with 

auto correct-

this  one won't go viral on the internet-

This one 

they will say is corrupt-

it will disrupt populations 

this one will tear down nations

this one should be hidden in pandora’s box-

this one will make a Rasta so sad he’ll cut off his locks-

santa will take off his socks-

wall street give up their stocks-

electricity give up its shock-

clock keep its ticks, and give up its tocks,

bullies give up their mock-

rapists cut off their cocks-

thugs give up their blocks-

yo- this one?

wins no medal- 

deserves no prize-

this one is a bad surprise-

somebody will get in trouble for this one…

Young girls in the night

scared with no light

I write for them- this one

Grown men in the night

meant to be protectors

turned into predators 

i wrote for you- this one-

He bashes her head on the wall-

her body falls

young girl- i write for you this one-

you try to stand tall but he is taller-

you try to call- but if you even speak 

he’ll slaughter your throat-

this one i wrote-

so that men could hate men-

so that instead of feeling proud 

they could hate themselves-

this one i wrote-

so that hearts could break-

guilty! this one I wrote not to give-

happiness- but to take…it… away…

This one i wrote with tears rolling down my cheek

for the girl who couldn't speak-

so that she knows theres someone on stage 

screaming with rage- for her-

coz that’s all i can do-

this one i wrote with rage- page 

after page-like a helpless prisoner with

a pen and pad in his cage-

This one is a good excuse for you to get up 

right about now and

 go change your babies nappy-

snappy-

this one some of you might think is 

crappy-

but i don’t give a damn-

this one isn’t for you fam-

this one has no order-

this one crosses borders 

subjects- got you thinkin-

whats she gonna say next-

I can jump from rape 

to racism on this one 

if i want to fam-

this one is also for the innocent black man-

who falls victim to the white police man

as they go bambam-

this one needs no applause-

this one is for no particular cause-

but for all of them-

for all the movements 

that are fighting

for something

for the powerless-

for the speechless-

for the handicap-

for the depressed-

for the hopeless-

for the jobless-

for the homeless-

for all of you who stress-

all the damn time-

this one is for you- this one time-

This one is to expose 

the men in power taking 

advantage of girls hour after hour,

for the bosses, the pastors and priests

who act holier than thou-

but wouldn't mind eating you out-

If you gave them a chance-

To get in your pants...

for land lords,

fathers, brothers, uncles, cousins, 

grown ass men who pretend-

like they don’t know what its like to 

love their daughters-

this one-

might take me to jail…

this one-

i might not get money 

to get me out on bail-

But this one isn't for sale!

you can’t stop me from 

saying this one-

son-

coz I’m done-

with this one…..

By: Angel Uwamahoro

Performing "This one" by Angel Uwamahoro-Photo Credit: Gael Vande Weghe at Spoken Word Rwanda

It's My Turn!

It’s my turn-

to confuse the foolery
out of you!

It’s my turn
to be amused- 

at how naiive, 

you can be!

Yes, it’s my turn

for Karma
to bite me!

My turn My turn-

To turn off the lights,
and act like 

i’m asleep-

my turn to start a fight-

my turn to NOT give a fuck-

its my turn my turn-

my turn to play 

hopscotch on your heart-
my turn to

tear you apart-

AND
not give a fuck-

it
is
my turn my turn!

I know it looks bad,
right about now,

but after i break you-

it’ll shake you-

and you’ll realize you can do,
much better 

than this-

it’ll be YOUR turn to be pissed-

but for now-

it’s -

MY TURN!

my turn-

to watch you burn 

as I lie to your face-

and come home
a drunken disgrace-

call you someone else’s name-

it’s YOUR turn to blame 

and MY turn to play 

cupid's stupid heartbreak game. 

It’s my turn.....

Be PATIENT!!!

you will have yours…

but for now-

play along-

don’t make mine a bore-

I’m goin hard core
right now-

coz it’s my  muthafuckin’ turn
right now-

but as you wait for your turn, dear-

Go grab me a fuckin’ beer-

coz, It’s MY TURN!

By: Angel Uwamahoro. 

Ibaze Nawe

Ibaze Nawe?

The Rwandan youth-

we,

we are stuck between an era of 

Impossibility and possibility

negativity and positivity

hostility and hospitality

Ibaze nawe?

We are just at arriving at a peak 

of a very steep

mountain,

That our elders had to climb-

and right now-

there are only 

two- possible - things- 

that could happen

Mubyibaze namwe?

One:

We could relax-

and back down-

n like humpty dumpty- 

come tumbling down-

and be the Afrika, 

the rest of the world 

can laugh at, 

just like a clown

and be broken

and needy

with pictures of our kids- 

stomachs out, and dirty- 

asking wamfunguriye?”

we can continue this 

vicious chain

with an economy 

that is forever borrowing

and falling 

in dept

all because we

- Slept-

and kept-

procrastinating, 

waiting-

for someone else

to do it tomorrow-

digging a deeper grave-

Erega, it is in someone’s agenda 

for us to fail and be in sorrow-

Haven’t you read the terms and conditions

don’t you think they need some revisions?

They are saying “Sakwe Sakwe”

BANKING on us to say “Soma”

Mujye Mubyibaza  namwe?

Or

Two:

we could take charge,

and by we I mean-

 you and you and you and you-

take this opportunity we’ve been given,

and make a living,

make our dreams come true

be a different youth-

that Africa can look up to-

that history books never knew-

we can teach the past a lesson-

That in fact- 

History does not 

repeat itself-

because we won’t let it-

that our people will not kill 

each other again

because that- already happened  

and we won’t forget it

erega, ijoro ribara uwariraye

wala* we are living proof!

Rwandan youth-

Mubyibaze namwe-

Ko

For once, 

we have a leadership

that really wants to have a 

relationship 

with its people

that’s willing to do good

instead of evil

that are willing to help us advance

instead of send us back to the 

mid-evil Period. 

Period.

This happens only

once in a blue moon-

So today I stand here

hoping, that there are some people in this room

Who have the guts to dream 

to be astronauts

who have the guts to

Dream to be lawyers

Who have the guts to

not just want to be an employee

but who Dream to be employers 

I hope that each and every one of you here-

has the guts to take your dreams 

0-100 real quick

Don’t let this opportunity go to waste

Have dreams of expensive taste

then send the bills to yourselves

wake up, work hard, and make a living

of this opportunity we’ve been given.

Ufashe Imana, kugufasha, kugafasha. (lol)

Mubyibaze namwe….

Written by: Angel Uwamahoro & Winnie Rugamba

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kLySaphPTw