When visiting Rwanda in September, going on a gorilla trekking expedition in Volcanoes National Park and witnessing the Kwita Izina ritual can make for an incredible trip. The festival is brimming with happiness, dancing, music, and celebration, highlighting the resilience of communities and the beauty of the natural world.
You have to carefully arrange your gorilla expedition itinerary if you want to make the most of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. A gorilla trekking permit should be reserved in advance from approved sources, and tickets or passes for the Kwita Izina festival should be obtained. Set aside distinct days for every activity, and make plans for transportation from Volcanoes National Park to the ceremony site. Additionally, it’s imperative to abide by the rules set forth by the park authorities and event organisers.
The centuries-old Rwandan custom of naming children in front of family and friends is the basis for Kwita Izina. Starting in 2005, Rwanda has been formally identifying its mountain gorillas as part of an international celebration of the natural world. We certainly give these magnificent animals the respect they deserve by naming them.
We would want to take this occasion to express our gratitude to the local community surrounding Volcanoes National Park, our research collaborators, veterinarians, and the hardworking conservationists, rangers, and trackers who keep the gorillas safe.
More than 350 mountain gorillas have been given names in the past fifteen years. Kwita Izina is now a part of an ambitious plan to protect Rwanda’s natural heritage and increase tourism’s contribution to the nation’s development. Rwandans from all walks of life now recognise the inherent worth of gorillas and their role in the nation’s economic development as a result of the naming ceremony. Rwandans are now protecting gorillas.
All things considered, Rwanda has become the continent’s leader in sustainable tourism and conservation. For example, the 2016 Census report listed 604 mountain gorillas in the Virunga Massif, compared to 480 in the 2010 Census. Because of these efforts, the number of mountain gorillas globally has increased to 1,063 and they are no longer considered critically endangered.
The English translation of Kwita Izina is “naming ceremony,” and it alludes to the long-standing African custom of naming children in Rwanda. This tradition served as a special inspiration for the gorilla naming ceremony, which aimed to encourage locals and tourists from other countries to support conservation efforts in order to increase public awareness of mountain gorillas and other endangered species in Volcanoes National Park.
Kwita Izina is also observed to recognise the contributions made by important parties, such as rangers, gorilla medics, environmentalists, tour guides, and local people, to the preservation of the environment and its wildlife. In partnership with the government, the umbrella group Rwanda Development Board (RDB) is in charge of organising the event. The gorilla authorities of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, which share the Virunga conservation region, are among the other partners. 2005 saw the formal release of Kwita Izina’s first edition.
This annual ceremony has grown in popularity and is about more than just naming gorillas. A variety of events are held at Kwita Izina, such as a conservation exhibition, business conference, dinner, music and dance performances, the beginning of various community development projects, and familiarisation trips for media and travel influencers, as well as invited guests who name the gorillas. An annual week-long celebration in September in Kinigi hamlet, outside the park, draws in excess of 20,000 attendees. Kwita Izina is growing into one of the biggest global conservation gatherings.
The growing appeal of Kwita Izina is centred on the role that gorilla tourism plays in the local economy. The locals who surround Volcanoes National Park depend significantly on tourists. In addition, the business provides jobs for about 39,000 individuals, including farmers, motels, and private tour guides. A revenue sharing programme was established in 2005, with the goal of empowering the nearby communities to receive 10% of the park’s earnings.