A series of events at Duke this month explores the 1994 genocide in Rwanda as well as the African nation's art and music, which have been shaped by that experience.
More than 800,000 people are estimated to have died in the genocide. Since then, the arts as well as religious and political action have attempted to tell the story of the genocide and help the nation heal its wounds.
In 2005, Duke students and faculty members traveled to Rwanda and neighboring Uganda to explore the aftermath of the genocide and to document the healing process. The trip was sponsored by DukeDivinitySchool's Pilgrimage of Pain & Hope program.
A documentary exhibit from photographs taken during that trip is on display through Nov. 30 in the ReynoldsArtGallery in the DukeUniversityBryanCenter.
Other events in the series include:
Oct. 17: Documentary film, "Shake Hands with the Devil." Reynolds Theatre, 7 p.m. Free and open to the public. The movie tells the story of the Canadian general who commanded the peacekeeping mission to Rwanda in 1994. Panel discussion to follow includes Emmanuel Katongole, co-director of Duke Divinity School's Center for Reconciliation; Peter Raymont, documentary filmmaker; Louis Boisvert, Canadian consul for North Carolina; Jean-Paul Samputu, Rwandan artist and activist; Joyce Kuipers, graduate student in music, Duke University; and Bouna Ndiaye, director of outreach, John Hope Franklin Center, Duke University.
Oct. 18: Discussion, "The Church in Uganda." Duke Divinity School, 0041 Langford Building, 12:20 p.m. Divinity School students Will Zant and Matthew Pierce offer an inside perspective. Lunch will be provided.
Oct. 18: Rwandan spiritual and traditional music and dance featuring African musical artist Jean Paul Samputu. Page Auditorium, 8 p.m. Tickets are available through the University Box Office, 684-4444 or www.tickets.edu. Cost is $5 for students, $15 for general admission.
Oct. 19: Discussion, "The Pilgrimage of Pain & Hope Experience in Rwanda and Uganda." DukeDivinitySchool, 0041 LangfordBuilding, 12:20 p.m. Reflections on a spiritual and historical journey by Duke Divinity students. Lunch will be provided.
Sponsors of these events include the DukeDivinitySchool, Duke Performances, the Duke Human Rights Initiative, the Department of African and African-American Studies, the Kenan Institute for Ethics, the Department of Music and the DukeUniversityCenter for International Studies.