THIRD EDITION OF MUSANZE’S RED ROCK CHRISTMAS MARKET ENDS IN SUCCESS AS RWANDA’S FIRST SUCH INITIATIVE GAINS INCREASING PROMINENCE
(Posted 29th December 2015)
Tourists, local farmers, buyers and sellers gathered this year once again at the Christmas Village Market at Red Rocks, Nyakinama Village, Musanze with more than 200 people getting involved.
The event, which was launched in 2013, opened on November 28th and closed on Christmas Eve, December 24th. It has become a meeting place for Musanze locals and foreign tourists who converge at the Red Rocks Campsite and community centre for a lively celebration of Rwandan culture/music, environmental conservation and sustainable community tourism.
The annual event also acts as a major market for homemade handcrafts that aim to expose the cultural pillars of Rwandan society. At the same time does it give a chance to foreigners to understand the daily life of Rwandans with the full participation of locals who not only attend the event but also share their experiences with foreign visitors.
Greg Bakunzi, the Managing Director of Amahoro Tours, the travel company that organises the Christmas Village Market and owns and manages Red Rocks, explained to this correspondent why the month-long event is becoming so popular.
‘Throughout the four weeks, daily activities make Red Rocks the ultimate family destination. Every single evening features musical performances by cultural troupes till late in the night. It’s basically a perfect place to gather with family and friends to shop, meet new people, and also have some fun along the way‘ he wrote by email.
37 members of several local cooperatives and community initiatives participated in the event’s part dubbed “farmers markets" with outdoor stalls and vendors selling a variety of merchandise such local food, cakes, decorations, handicrafts, ornaments, gifts, etc. Each of those members according to Greg earned an average amount of 100.000 Rwandan francs.
He then went on to say: ‘This place aims at showcasing that models of sustained development of rural community are the right way to empower them via those farmers/handcrafts markets which can be duplicated countrywide to eradicate poverty in rural areas‘.
Activities within this year’s event , included showcasing various aspects of Rwandan culture such as the preparation of local food, showing art and crafts, performing traditional dances, sharing the age old tradition of story-telling and live painting/music performances, to mention but a few.
