The Unraveling Threads of Identity The recent article on the Hutu and Tutsi divide highlights a complex issue that continues to shape conflict and identity in Africa's Great Lakes region.
Colonial legacy is just one thread in a rich history of factors at play, however. Hutu and Tutsi identities existed before European colonial rule, but they did not always carry the rigid meaning they acquired later.
Communities in Rwanda and Burundi were organized around more fluid social structures, with individuals' positions influenced by factors like wealth, cattle ownership, and political relationships.