Akazehe: a unique Burundi greeting risks disappearing

Sylvie Mbonimpa is visiting her daughter Melanie for the first time in months, and their reunion is filled with music.

The older woman sings her inquiries: "Is everything alright at home?", "May your past and future be blessed," and "I hope your husband is well."

Melanie responds with a simple 'yes' to each question.

This exchange, known as akazehe, is a tradition shared exclusively among women.

At seventy-six, Sylvie holds this custom dear.

"Akazehe is filled with love. When you greet someone and they respond spontaneously, it reflects mutual affection," she explains.

Akazehe commonly takes place between mothers and daughters who haven't seen each other in a long while.

"When you greet them and embrace at the same time, it signifies respect and brings joy. There’s no pretense," Sylvie adds.

However, akazehe is declining, despite its unique significance in this central African nation, renowned for its exceptional percussionists.

Cultural officials, educators, and others emphasize the need to preserve this practice.

They point to public health measures that discourage unnecessary contact during disease outbreaks and the lack of promotion of akazehe among younger generations.

Some scholars have highlighted akazehe’s potential to enhance social cohesion in Burundi, which has largely stabilized after a tumultuous civil war and political unrest.

"With modernization, this traditional greeting has diminished in value. But as elders, we strive to teach it to the youth to ensure the continuation of Burundian culture," Sylvie states.

In the hilly region of Ngozi in northern Burundi, the traditional practice of akazehe is still well-known among some residents, with women like Prudencienne Namukobwa excelling in its performance.

She acknowledges the daughter of a former neighbor with the customary greeting.

While many questions are standard, some can catch you off guard.

However, the eighty-five-year-old believes that younger women lack interest in learning akazehe.

" Today's younger generations show little interest in akazehe, which leads me to believe that we lack the kind of pure love that our mothers experienced in the past." she states.

Akazehe may appear as a quest for flawless harmony, a pursuit of balance within the intricate vocal expressions.

Sylvie feels a renewed sense of hope as she instructs her daughter's neighbors on the fundamentals of Akazehe greetings.

But whether her passionate teaching is enough or not to counter the gradual advance of modernization, only time will tell.