Kimironko Market

Kimironko (pronounced chi mi RON go; the opening “k” is pronounced as “ch”, so chi GA li for Kigali, cha GA me for Kagame; all the vowels are like Spanish vowels) is a bustling suburb of Kigali, about a 15 minute moto ride (at 1000 RWF) from city center, which I’ve now learned is “mumuji.” The market there is one of the biggest in Kigali, with perhaps the exception of Nyabugogo, the Islamic area of town (I think).

Anna met me at the Kimironko Market to introduce me to some English-speaking cloth merchants and seamstresses. It was Sunday afternoon, so not all the vendors were there, which is okay with me; the first few minutes were slightly overwhelming. But then I got my feet under me, so to speak, and I had a great time.

First we went to Anna’s seamstress so she could try on a dress she was having made. There was a small piece of cloth strung across one corner of the little room for her to change clothes. I’m not sure how she managed to put it on in that small space, but she did, and but the dress looked good. Just a few adjustments and it will be done in a few days.

Next, we went to shop for a shared obsession: textiles. There were so many beautiful fabrics: all possible colors and color combinations; all types of patterns from abstract to realistic representation. Most of the fabrics were colored and patterned using what I think is called ikat, where wax is put onto cloth in various patterns, the cloth is dyed, and then the wax is removed to reveal the first color underneath. I bought a green tie-dye kind of wraparound skirt, and fabric to make two outfits in blue and dark red.

But here’s the real find: I bought some Rwandan baskets that rival the quality of the thousand-dollar Navaho baskets from the American Southwest. The sweet smell of grasses and reeds fills my room. I also bought some souvenir-size traditional Rwandan baskets. They have round bottoms, with the bottom slightly smaller than the top, and the lids kind of look like one of the traditional hats in China, with the top narrowing quickly to a fine point. That’s probably not the best description; google Rwandan basket in images to see what I mean.

I also bought a couple of artworks yesterday on the Kigali streets from a teenager named Ѐmile. He made them himself. They are banana leaf on drawing paper. He first puts down adhesive and then lays down different colored banana leaves to make incredibly exacting designs. I’m not sure if he cuts the leaves first or how exactly he does it, but the artwork is unique. When I asked him to sign the pieces, he thought I was crazy and really didn’t want to. A passing gentleman who was born in Rwanda, grew up in Uganda, and now is a citizen of England, stopped to translate. He explained that Ѐmile is illiterate but Ѐmile added that if he had wanted to sign his pieces, he would have done so in banana leaf. A purist.

I can only suspect that as the world continues to be curious about Rwanda, these arts and crafts will not only increase in value but in price as well.

And for those of you who have asked for carvings or jewelry, don’t worry—there’s more time to shop.