Why did the Hutus and Tutsis fight?

Generally, the Hutu-Tutsi strife stems from class warfare, with the Tutsis perceived to have greater wealth and social status (as well as favoring cattle ranching over what is seen as the lower-class farming of the Hutus).

What is the difference between Hutu and Tutsi?

“Hutus” were people who farmed crops, while “Tutsis” were people who tended livestock. Most Rwandans were Hutus. Gradually, these class divisions became seen as ethnic designations. Because cattle were more valuable than crops, the minority Tutsis became the local elite.

Does the Watusi tribe still exist?

Tutsi, also called Batusi, Tussi, Watusi, or Watutsi, ethnic group of probable Nilotic origin, whose members live within Rwanda and Burundi. The Tutsi formed the traditional aristocratic minority in both countries, constituting about 9 percent and 14 percent of the population, respectively.

What do Tutsi look like?

They defined “Tutsi” as anyone owning more than ten cows (a sign of wealth) or with the physical features of a longer thin nose, high cheekbones, and being over six feet tall, all of which are common descriptions associated with the Tutsi.

What did Tutsi look like?

Who came first Hutu or Tutsi?

Historians have several theories regarding the nature of the Bantu migrations: one theory is that the first settlers were Hutu, while the Tutsi migrated later and formed a distinct racial group, possibly of Cushitic origin.

What is the tallest African tribe?

The tallest major tribe in the world is the Tutsi (also known as the Watussi) of Rwanda and Burundi, Central Africa whose young adult males average 1.83 m (6 ft).

Are Watusi and Tutsi the same?

*According to the orthography of the Bantu language, “Tutsi” is the singular and “Watutsi” the plural form of the word. For the sake of simplicity. I prefer to follow the style used in United Nations reports and use “Tutsi” for both singular and plural. by their former vassals, the Hutu (or Bahutu).

What language do the Tutsi speak?

Kinyarwanda
Most Tutsi and Hutu people speak Kinyarwanda. Swahili is also widely used as a trading language. Most educated Tutsi also speak French and English. In both Rwanda and Burundi, over half of the population is Christian.

Where did Tutsi originally come from?

The Tutsis, also known as Watutsis, were a nomadic people who began arriving in the Great Lakes region from Ethiopia some four hundred years ago. Eventually, the Tutsis settled amongst the Hutus – adopting their language, beliefs and customs. But economic differences between the groups soon began to form.

What did the Hutu do to the Tutsi?

Under the cover of war, Hutu extremists launched their plans to destroy the entire Tutsi civilian population. Violence spread with lightning speed through the capital and into the rest of the country, and continued for roughly three months.

Did Tutsi win the war?

Yet immediately after the genocide the anti-government Tutsi rebel group NPF successfully defeated the government and seized the power. In the aftermath many Hutus fled the country. Even more, the new Tutsi-led government succeeded to defeat DR Kongo in a bloody war.

Is Rwanda a poor country?

Rwanda is, by all measures, a poor country. The 1994 war obliterated the country’s economy, social fabric, human resource base, and institutions. Almost 90 percent of the population lives on less than US$2 per day and half of its population lives on less than US$1 per day.