Nindamutsa, Gertrude

Nindamutsa, Gertrude

Gertrude Nindamutsa

Loading...

Media is loading
 

Interviewee Age

76

Interviewee Gender

Female

Interviewee Ethnicity

Hutu

Interviewee Level of Education in 1972

Level of education in 1972 studied till 3rd grade

Geographical Location(s) during the genocide

Burundi, Imbo region

Current Geographical Location

Karagara

Interview Date

4-22-2022

Interviewer Name

Center for Genocide and Human Rights Research in Africa and the Diaspora (GHRAD) Research Team

Summary of Oral History

Gertrude narrates her experiences during the tragic events of 1972 and life afterwards in Burundi. At the age of 18, Gertrude got married and soon after had a child. On the same day as her child's birth, turmoil erupted in the community, leading to extensive fear and people fleeing their homes. Despite the mayhem, the speaker's husband returned shortly before being taken away and never seen again. This marked the beginning of profound distress for the interviewee, who was left alone with a newborn during their postpartum recovery.

Later on, Gertrude remarried but shockingly lost her second husband in 1973 during the continuing unrest. The interviewee became a widow twice due to the violence that swept through her region. Throughout these hardships, Gertrude depended on the support of her in-laws to help raise her children. In her testimony she also touches upon the origins of the tragedy, accredited to tensions among Hutu residents in the Imbo region who were allegedly planning to buy an airplane. This plan did not succeed, leading to violence that targeted both Tutsis and Hutus indiscriminately, with countless massacres reported.

Named Persons

Severin Nyongera (father), Regine Ntikubitwa (mother), Alexandre Ndikumana (sibling), Wenceslas Sindayihebura (sibling), Apollinaire Niyonkuru, (sibling), Marie Ntikubitwa (grandfather), Inanganinka & Ntiringaniza (maternal grandparents), Simbaruhije Zacharie (deceased husband)

Named Places

Burundi, Gatete Rumonge Karagara, Rukoma, Bururi province, Rumeza, Imbo region

Length of Oral History

01:14:21

Language(s) of Oral History

Kirundi

Language(s) of Transcripts

Kirundi, English

Translator for Transcripts

Center for Genocide and Human Rights Research in Africa and the Diaspora (GHRAD) Research Team

Rights

IN COPYRIGHT - EDUCATIONAL USE PERMITTED This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. In addition, no permission is required from the rights-holder(s) for educational uses. For other uses, you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).

Download Gertrude Nindamutsa – Oral History Transcript and Translation (Kirundi and English) (316 KB)

Nindamutsa, Gertrude

Share

COinS