'Culture is one of the most powerful ways of bringing people together'

The sound of traditional drums and the rhythm of the Intore warrior dance filled a hotel in Seoul on Wednesday as Rwanda held its first Cultural Heritage Day in Korea, celebrating cultural exchange and people-to-people diplomacy.

The program featured Rwanda’s iconic ingoma drums, the intore warrior dance and traditional instruments such as the inanga string instrument, ikondera horn and umwirongi shepherd’s flute, alongside cultural symbols reflecting the country’s pastoral heritage.

Greeting the audience with “Murakaza neza,” meaning “Welcome” in Kinyarwanda, the official language of Rwanda, Rwandan Ambassador to Korea Bakuramutsa Nkubito described the event as a window into Africa through Rwanda.

“Culture is one of the most powerful ways of bringing people together. Long before we become partners in business, tourism or development, we first come to know one another through our traditions, our stories and our people,” Nkubito said.

The evening’s centerpiece was the Intore warrior dance, which was recently inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

“Intore’s recognition celebrates not only the beauty of the dance, but also Rwanda’s commitment to preserving its cultural heritage and passing it on to future generations,” Nkubito said.

“Governments build partnerships, but it is the friendships between people that give those partnerships lasting meaning,” Nkubito said.

“The Kagoma performance was especially uplifting. It brought Africa and Korea closer together and added new cultural energy to Seoul. The blend of Korean and Rwandan music showed how naturally the two cultures can connect,” Jaung Ah Lee, founder of the Africa Capacity Building Community, told The Korea Herald after the event.

“It was heartwarming to see Rwandan culture come alive in Seoul,” she added.

“Rwanda’s cultural heritage truly came alive in Seoul through the Kagoma Team’s performance,” Debora Nasekhu, a Tanzanian resident in Seoul, told The Korea Herald.

“The fusion of African rhythms and Korean traditional music was a powerful celebration of friendship and cultural exchange, showing that music is a universal language.”

Speaking at the event, Moroccan Ambassador to Korea Chafik Rachadi, who serves as dean of the diplomatic corps in Seoul and dean of the African group of ambassadors, said the gathering offered an opportunity to experience the warmth of Africa thousands of kilometers away.

Quoting Rwandan poet Malaika Uwamahoro, Rachadi said cultural exchange helps people discover “treasure” in their shared humanity.

“Culture transcends borders, fosters mutual understanding, builds people-to-people connections and complements the work of traditional diplomacy,” Rachadi concluded.