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Intore, also known as ntore (Kinyarwanda: intore, "warrior"), is a traditional Rwandan dance.

History

It is not certain when the Intore dance originated, but it likely evolved from earlier dances performed by Rwandans. These were used as a means of celebrating economic success, and included Imparamba, the dance of the farmers, as well as a dance by fishermen close to Lake Kivu, which demonstrated their expertise at swimming and fishing.

The first recorded performances of Intore were in the court of the kings (mwami) of the Kingdom of Rwanda. One theory of its origin, promoted by Rwandan historian and literature expert Gaston Nsanzabaganwa, is that the dance was introduced during the reign of King Mutara II Rwogera. According to this theory, a royal figure from the Busoni named Muyange fled north from Rwanda's neighbour, the Kingdom of Burundi, to escape a violent political upheaval. He was given refuge at Mutara's court, along with a group of dancers named Abayange. The courtiers found their dance attractive, and used it as the basis for the Intore, but with added songs and demonstrations of fighting techniques.

The Intore dancers at the pre-colonial royal court were members of elite families within the kingdom, often chiefs or nobles. Their principal task was to provide entertainment for the king, but they were also trained as experts in politics and military matters.

King Musinga, in the early part of the twentieth century, introduced new routines and musical instruments to the dance.

Intore in colonial days

The intore was used during colonial times for both Rwandan celebrations and shows for the Europeans. During the reign of Musinga, the dance was very warlike, consisting of routines called ikumu (the lance), umuheto (the bow), and ingabo (the shield). The dancers used real weapons during the dance. In later years, under Rudahigwa, the military aspect was removed, with the names amended to titles such as "cadence", "crested crane" and "gratitude step". The real weapons were replaced with replicas.

The dance at this time was performed by two groups. The first group, who performed the first act, was composed of Batwa, headed by one Tutsi, while the second, which entered the stage following a musical interlude, was composed entirely of Tutsi.

The dancers wore flowered skirts or leopard skins, with pearl straps on their chests. Their ankles featured bells, which rang as they danced.

References

• Tourist Bureau for the Belgian Congo and Ruanda-Urundi (1951). Traveller's guide to the Belgian Congo and Ruanda-Urundi. Brussels.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

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