While some, turn in to sleep, every evening, one of Rwanda’s dreamiest activities takes place on the shores of Lake Kivu. As the sun sets, lakeside towns are abuzz with the songs and whistles of fishermen rowing their way to the center of the lake, ready for another night of work. Shared by both Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, Lake Kivu stretches 89 kilometers long, 48 kilometers wide, and 240 meters deep. Small towns and big cities line the shores, framed by the region’s famous rolling hills and towering volcanoes. Canoeing in groups of three boats, Rwanda’s fishermen spend every night out on the crystalline water searching for sambaza (a fish similar to a small sardine) and tilapia. Though the profession is global, the process is unique to the region; the fishermen’s nightly journey across the lake, with their melodic songs and brightly lit lanterns, is truly captivating. At approximately 5:00 p.m., the workday begins, as hundreds of fishermen row themselves to the center of the lake singing and whistling to keep rhythm with one another. “They sing for courage,” said boat driver Nelson Habimana. “The songs are sung only in Amashi, and only when fishermen are paddling in and out of the lake together.” Amashi, a traditional language blending Kinyarwanda and some Eastern Congolese phrases, is spoken by few, and is mainly in use on Lake Kivu’s Nkombo and Idjwi islands. “But all fishermen—both Rwandan and Congolese—know Amashi,” insists Habimana. “It is the language of Kivu fishermen.” Though the daily tunes are familiar,…
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