How can you tell a Tutsi from an Hutu?
If you were close to the king, you owned wealth, you owned a lot of cattle, you are a Tutsi. If you are far away from the king, you are a cultivator, you don’t own much cattle, you are a Hutu.” Colonial rule, which began in the late 19th Century, did little to bring the groups together.
Are Hutus and Tutsis ethnically different?
Hutu and Tutsi inhabit Rwanda and Burundi in Central Africa. There are no significant linguistic or religious differences between them and they both live in mixed settlements, however, violent ethnic conflicts have erupted between these groups.
Are Tutsis lighter than Hutus?
Tutsis are typically thought of as lighter skinned than those of Hutu decent. Many descriptions of Tutsis include that they have light brown skin like Ethiopians, Eritreans and other ethnic groups from farther north in Africa.
What religion is Tutsi?
The Hutu and Tutsi adhere essentially to the same religious beliefs, which include forms of animism and Christianity. The two ethnic groups remain deeply divided over the apportionment of political power in both Rwanda and Burundi, however.
What kind of people are the Tutsi in Rwanda?
Tutsi are a Bantu -speaking ethnic group of probable Nilotic origin, and the second largest of three main ethnic groups in Rwanda and Burundi (the other two being the largest Bantu ethnic group Hutu and the Pygmy group of the Twa). Historically, the Tutsi were pastoralists and filled the ranks of the warriors caste.
Who are the Tutsi people of the Great Lakes?
The Tutsi, or Abatutsi, are a social class or ethnic group of the African Great Lakes region. Historically, they were often referred to as the Watutsi, Watusi, Wahuma, Wahima or the Wahinda.
What kind of language do Tutsi people speak?
They speak Rwanda-Rundi, a group of Bantu languages. Tutsis are the second largest population division among the three largest groups in Rwanda and Burundi; the other two being the Hutu (largest) and the Twa (smallest). Small numbers of Hema, Kiga and Furiiru people also live near the Tutsi in Rwanda.
What kind of religion do Hutu and Tutsi have?
The Hutu and Tutsi adhere essentially to the same religious beliefs, which include forms of animism and Christianity. The two ethnic groups remain deeply divided over the apportionment of political power in both Rwanda and Burundi, however. This article was most recently revised and updated by Elizabeth Prine Pauls, Associate Editor.