Kwita Izina: Gorilla Naming Ceremony in Video, Text + Photos

Kwita Izina: Detailed Guide to Gorilla Naming Ceremony in Rwanda. Kwita Izina: 6 facts you need to know about the gorilla naming. At the base of Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, infant mountain gorillas were celebrated during the Kwita Izina naming ceremony.

In September, Rwanda hosts the world-famous Kwita Izina Ceremony, a gorilla naming celebration that honors the local community’s dedication to protecting the mountain gorillas from extinction.

Kwita Izina: The Gorilla Naming Ceremony

The Rwanda Development Board (RDB) established Kwita Izina in 2005, and since then, it has become a globally renowned model of ecotourism and conservation. The conference schedule is jam-packed with interesting events like seminars, lectures, and the much-anticipated gorilla naming ceremony. One of the most important parts of the occasion is the naming ceremony, which takes place on a bamboo platform that looks like a magnificent silverback gorilla. During this special event, the gorillas that were born in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park in the past year are given names that are carefully selected. The participants carefully choose these names in order to portray the distinct characteristics and habits of the newborn gorillas. The Rwandan people have a deep belief that these names have magical powers that can bless and shape the lives of these precious babies.

Significance of The Kwita Izina Ceremony

Invoking blessings and protection, the yearly Kwita Izina festival has named more than 370 young gorillas since 2005. These gorillas represent Rwanda’s distinct stories and cultural history. Rwandans think that a baby’s name influences his or her personality and destiny. Names given to gorillas by park rangers before Kwita Izina had deeper significance; these names let researchers and rangers keep tabs on how each gorilla was doing both within and between habitats.

In Kwita Izina, the people of Rwanda express their hopes for the future and their common cultural goals for the nation as a whole. Statistics become dynamic life as each baby gorilla steps into the world at Kwita Izina. They are treasured gifts to their family, Rwanda, and the worldwide community.

The ceremony highlights the government’s and the people’s massive efforts to protect mountain gorillas, filling every Rwandan heart with immense pride. Among conservation success stories, Rwanda stands out for its unwavering dedication and pioneering role in sustainable tourism.

Rwanda’s Exemplary Conservation Commitment

One of only two remaining habitats for the critically endangered mountain gorilla species is the Virungas. Another notable attraction is the site of Dian Fossey’s seminal gorilla studies, which paved the way for the Karisoke Research Center to be founded. Together with the Rwandan government, the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International works on educational projects, grants for park rangers, and community-based programs to carry on Fossey’s work. The mountain gorilla population in the Virunga Massif has increased from 242 individuals in the 1980s to over 600 now, a remarkable result of this conservation effort.

Not only have the gorillas benefited from Rwanda’s commitment to conservation and responsible tourism, but so have the local communities. A large portion of the region’s income has come from the trekking program, which gives tourists the opportunity to see the gorillas in their native environment.

The lifetime indirect revenue from tourism for a “habituated” mountain gorilla can reach around $3 million. The conservation efforts in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park and other reserves are made possible by these grants. Even more encouraging of community involvement and cooperation is the fact that 10% of tourist income goes to the surrounding areas.

Kwita Izina is a celebration of the mountain gorilla population’s upward trajectory; the IUCN just upgraded the gorillas’ status from “critically endangered” to “endangered,” and this event is the clearest evidence of the effectiveness of Rwanda’s conservation efforts.

Quick Facts About The Annual Kwita Izina Ceremony in Rwanda

• Birth naming ceremonies are an integral part of Rwandan culture, and the Kwita Izina ceremony is a modern take on an age-old custom.
• The Kinyarwanda word kwita izina signifies “naming” when spoken literally.
• The community grounds in Kinigi, Musanze District, just outside Volcanoes National Park, northwest of Rwanda’s capital Kigali, are the site of the annual Kwita Izina celebration in September.
• Baby mountain gorillas that were born in Volcanoes National Park the previous year are given their names during the Kwita Izina ceremony.
• It all began in 2005 with Kwita Izina.
• Kwita Izina has been the naming ceremony for more than three hundred and seventy mountain gorillas since 2005.
• Kwita Izina is an opportunity for the Rwanda Development Board to show appreciation to the locals who live around Volcanoes National Park, the people who serve as veterinarians and research partners, and the dedicated individuals who work as rangers, trackers, and conservationists to ensure the safety of the gorillas.
• The global population of mountain gorillas is around 1,063 individuals. Only in three East African countries—Rwanda, Uganda, and the DRC—distributed among four national parks can you find these endangered mammals.
• Tourists go to see mountain gorillas, which brings in a lot of money for conservation efforts and helps out local people.
• Over the course of its lifespan, a mountain gorilla that is “habituated” to human visits can earn around $3 million from the tourism industry.
• The gorilla naming ceremony for the 19th Kwita Izina will take place on Friday, September 1, 2023. In honor of the occasion, 23 newborn gorillas that were born within the last year will be given their names.

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Gorillas are critically endangered and trekking is carefully regulated in Rwanda gorilla park. Permits are both costly and difficult to secure and cannot be held on a provisional basis. Travelling to such remote destinations and ensuring the best chances for a successful Rwanda gorilla trek requires the kind of direct experience and local knowledge that you get from an Africa Safari Expert. Get in touch with someone who’s been there: