The ''karyenda'' is a traditional

African African or Africans may refer to: * Anything from or pertaining to the continent of Africa: ** People who are native to Africa, descendants of natives of Africa, or individuals who trace their ancestry to indigenous inhabitants of Africa *** Ethn ...

drum The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments. In the Hornbostel-Sachs classification system, it is a membranophone. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a she ...

. It was the main symbol of

Burundi Burundi (, ), officially the Republic of Burundi ( rn, Repuburika y’Uburundi ; Swahili language, Swahili: ''Jamuhuri ya Burundi''; French language, French: ''République du Burundi'' ), is a landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley at the ...

and its ''

Mwami ''Mwami'' () is an honorific title common in parts of Central and East Africa. The title means ''chief'' or ''tribal chief'' in several Bantu languages. It was historically used by kings in several African nations, and is still used for traditi ...

'' (King) and had semi-divine status. The ''Mwami'' was said to interpret the beatings of the karyenda into rules for the

kingdom Kingdom commonly refers to: * A monarchy ruled by a king or queen * Kingdom (biology), a category in biological taxonomy Kingdom may also refer to: Arts and media Television * ''Kingdom'' (British TV series), a 2007 British television drama s ...

History

When Burundi gained independence from

Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...

in 1962, the karyenda was the symbol on the

national flag A national flag is a flag that represents and symbolizes a given nation. It is flown by the government of that nation, but usually can also be flown by its citizens. A national flag is typically designed with specific meanings for its colours ...

and its

coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central ele ...

from 1962 to 1966. It was replaced after the republic was established. Traditionally the most important folk songs and dances were performed to extol the virtues of the kingship. A major festival was the annual '' umuganuro'' (

sorghum ''Sorghum'' () is a genus of about 25 species of flowering plants in the grass family (Poaceae). Some of these species are grown as cereals for human consumption and some in pastures for animals. One species is grown for grain, while many othe ...

festival), which was a huge display of pomp, festivities, and dances for the royal court. Since the fall of the monarchy in 1966, and particularly after a massacre of

Hutu The Hutu (), also known as the Abahutu, are a Bantu ethnic or social group which is native to the African Great Lakes region. They mainly live in Rwanda, Burundi and the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, where they form one of the prin ...

s in 1972, such cultural expressions have waned. The second most important drum was the '' rukinzo''. It accompanied the ''mwami'' wherever he went. The drums, despite many upheavals, have remained popular and are still revered. The old families who were wardens of the drums have tried to keep the ancient traditions alive. Some have an international outreach, such as the

Royal Drummers of Burundi The Royal Drummers of Burundi, commonly known in recordings as The Drummers of Burundi, is a percussion ensemble originally from Burundi. Their performances are a part of ceremonies such as births, funerals, and coronations of '' mwami'' (Kings). ...

, or L. Ndoricimpa and C. Guillet, who recorded '' Les tambours du Burundi'' (''The Drums of Burundi'') in 1983.

Symbolism

As sacred objects, the drums were much more than simple musical instruments. They were used in rituals, such as the ''umuganuro'', or for special circumstances. Major events for the king, such as royal

coronations A coronation is the act of placement or bestowal of a coronation crown, crown upon a monarch's head. The term also generally refers not only to the physical crowning but to the whole ceremony wherein the act of crowning occurs, along with the ...

funerals A funeral is a ceremony connected with the final disposition of a corpse, such as a burial or cremation, with the attendant observances. Funerary customs comprise the complex of beliefs and practices used by a culture to remember and respect th ...

, and

weddings A wedding is a ceremony where two people are united in marriage. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes. Most wedding ceremonies involve an exchange of marria ...

were announced through the drums. The beating of the drums also signalled certain rites, such as when the ''mwami'' rose in the morning or retired in the evening. Drums had various names, such as "dispenser of peace" or "lady of the land". The Royal Order of Karyenda and the Royal Order of Rukinzo were founded by King

Mwambutsa IV of Burundi Mwambutsa IV Bangiricenge (6 May 1912 – 26 March 1977) was the penultimate king of Burundi (or '' mwami'') who ruled between 1915 and 1966. He succeeded to the throne on the death of his father Mutaga IV Mbikije (reigned 1908–15). Born wh ...

on July 1, 1962. The Order of Karyanda was the principal order of the kingdom and was divided into five classes.

Sanctuaries

The drums were normally kept in drum

sanctuaries A sanctuary, in its original meaning, is a sacred place, such as a shrine. By the use of such places as a haven, by extension the term has come to be used for any place of safety. This secondary use can be categorized into human sanctuary, a saf ...

. These were a tight network of high places, as well as centres of political and religious power in

pre-colonial Colonialism is a practice or policy of control by one people or power over other people or areas, often by establishing colonies and generally with the aim of economic dominance. In the process of colonisation, colonisers may impose their relig ...

Burundi. The sanctuaries were guarded mainly by Hutu families, who were the only ones the king allowed to manufacture, play, and keep the drums or bring them to court for an occasion. They were called '' abatimbo'', which is Rundi for drummers "who hit hard". A sacred drum was enthroned in each sanctuary and guarded by attendants. There were also '' ingendanyi'' (minor drums), and a set of drums that were played with the main drums. Some of the main sanctuaries for the drums were:

Gishora The field of Gishora is located approximately 7 km north of the city of Gitega, in the Gitega Province of Burundi. It houses a royal palace and royal field. Site Description Gishora is on the top of the Gishora Hill in the commune of Gih ...

Hill, near

Gitega Gitega (), formerly Kitega, is the political capital of Burundi. Located in the centre of the country, in the Burundian central plateau roughly east of Bujumbura (the largest city and former political capital), Gitega (the second largest city) ...

; Higiro Hill, also near Gitega; Magamba Hill; and

Banga Banga may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Banga'' (album), a 2012 album by Patti Smith * A song by Ali Shaheed Muhammad from the 2004 album '' Shaheedullah and Stereotypes'' * The name of Pontius Pilate's dog in Mikhail Bulgakov's novel ' ...

References

External links

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Music and musical instruments of Burundi
Burundian monarchy Burundian music Membranophones Regalia African drums