Ezéchiel Rivuzimana Student Number: 213 568 358 Supervisor: Professor Philippe Denis
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Colonization and Evangelization: Power dynamics and ethnicity in the development of the Catholic indigenous clergy in Burundi under the Belgian colonial administration (1916 – 1961) Ezéchiel Rivuzimana Student number: 213 568 358 Supervisor: Professor Philippe Denis Submitted to the School of Religion, Philosophy and Classics, College of Humanities, University of KwaZulu- Natal, Pietermaritzburg, in fulfilment of the academic requirements for the degree of Master of Theology. April 2015 Declaration I, Ezéchiel Rivuzimana, declare that 1. The research reported in this thesis, except where otherwise indicated, is my original research. 2. This thesis has not been submitted for any degree or examination at any other university. 3. This thesis does not contain other persons’ data, pictures, graphs or other information, unless specifically acknowledged as being sourced from other persons. 4. This thesis does not contain other persons' writing, unless specifically acknowledged as being sourced from other researchers. Where other written sources have been quoted, then: a. Their words have been re-written but the general information attributed to them has been referenced. b. Where their exact words have been used, then their writing has been placed in italics and inside quotation marks, and referenced. 5. This thesis does not contain text, graphics or tables copied and pasted from the Internet, unless specifically acknowledged, and the source being detailed in the thesis and in the References sections. Ezéchiel Rivuzimana 1 February 2016 Prof Philippe Denis 1 February 2016 i Dedication This study is dedicated to the very first missionaries who died on the soil of Burundi endeavouring to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ. ii Acknowledgments I wish to express my thanks to Msgr Stanislas Kuburungu, Bishop Emeritus of Ngozi, who gave me the first insights about the history of the missionary activity in Burundi. The information, especially, the documentation I got from him enabled me undertaking this study unhesitantly. I am thankful to my Supervisor as well, Professor Philippe Denis, for his guidance, encouragement and patient criticism throughout the research. His restless hard work helped me to produce this valuable work. I would also like to thank the Dominican Friars of the Provincial Vicariate of Rwanda and Burundi for the time and financial resources allocated to me to complete this research. Likewise, I am grateful to the Dominican Friars of the General Vicariate of Southern Africa for accommodating me during the time that lasted my research. Finally, I am indebted to all the people near and far who assisted me and gave me information and ideas starting from the initial stage of this study up to its completion. Special thanks go to the Dominican students of Emaphethelweni Dominican Priory with whom I shared moments of Joy and pain during my research. I am always grateful for your priceless support. May Almighty God bless each and every one of all the above-mentioned people. iii List of abbreviations C.EP.R : Conférence épiscopale du Rwanda COREB: Conférence des Ordinaires du Rwanda et du Burundi CRA : Centre des recherches Africaines CSP: Conseil Supérieur du Pays DACB: Dictionary of African Christian Biography DRC: Democratic Republic of Congo ed(s): Editor (s) et al: and others Fr: Father Ibid: Ibidem M. Afr: Missionary of Africa Msgr: Monsignor NB: Nota bene n.d: no date no: numero n.p: “no Publisher”, “no place” or “no page” OMI: Oblates of Mary Immaculate SDN: Société des Nations s.ed. : Sans éditeur s.l : Sans lieu UCM : Union du clergé Murundi UN: United Nations Url: Uniform resource locator UPRONA: Unité pour le Progrès National WWI: The first World War WWII: The second Word War iv Wherever the local clergy exist in sufficient numbers, and are suitably trained and worthy of their holy vocation, there you can justly assume that the work of the missionary has been successful and that the Church has laid her foundations well. Pope Benedict XV, Maximum Illud (1919), no.16. v Contents Declaration .................................................................................................................................................. i Dedication ................................................................................................................................................... i Acknowledgments ..................................................................................................................................... iii List of abbreviations .................................................................................................................................. iv Contents .................................................................................................................................................... vi Abstract ...................................................................................................................................................... 1 Chapter One ............................................................................................................................................... 2 General introduction .................................................................................................................................. 2 1.1. Background to the research problem ........................................................................................ 2 1.2. Statement of research question ..................................................................................................... 4 1.3. Statement of research objectives ................................................................................................... 4 1.4. Literature review ............................................................................................................................. 4 1.5. Theoretical framework ................................................................................................................... 6 1.6. Research methodology ................................................................................................................... 8 1.7. Structure of the study ..................................................................................................................... 9 1.8. A note on spelling and clarification of terms .................................................................................. 9 1.8.1. Spelling ..................................................................................................................................... 9 1.8.2. Clarification of terms................................................................................................................ 9 Chapter two ............................................................................................................................................. 11 Overview of the history of colonization and the Catholic evangelization in Burundi ............................. 11 2.1. Overview of the history of colonization in Burundi ...................................................................... 11 2.1.1. Beginning of colonization of Burundi ..................................................................................... 11 2.1.2. The German occupation ......................................................................................................... 12 2.1.3. The Belgian occupation .......................................................................................................... 14 2.2. Overview of the history of Catholic evangelization in Burundi .................................................... 16 2.2.1. General context of the Catholic evangelization in Burundi ................................................... 17 2.2.2. Major subdivisions of the history of the Burundian Catholic evangelization from its beginning until 1961 ........................................................................................................................ 18 2.3. Summary of the Chapter ............................................................................................................... 26 Chapter three ........................................................................................................................................... 27 Power dynamics in Burundi during the period 1916-1961 ...................................................................... 27 3.1. Burundian people .......................................................................................................................... 27 vi 3.1.1. Physical characteristics of Burundian people ........................................................................ 29 3.1.2. The ‘Hamitic theory’ ............................................................................................................... 31 3.1.3. The social relations between Burundian people ................................................................... 31 3.2. Legacies of colonists and missionaries: 1916-1961 ...................................................................... 34 3.2.1. German colonists and missionaries ....................................................................................... 35 3.2.2. Belgian colonists and Missionaries ........................................................................................ 37 3.3. Summary of the Chapter ............................................................................................................... 41 Chapter four ............................................................................................................................................