Essay Questions

What is the main devastating effect of tribal cleansing, according to Boubacar Boris Diop?

The book primarily focuses on Rwanda's 1994 genocide and the events before and after the tribal cleansing. The first devastating effect of this tribal cleansing is that many people lost their lives, and many others were left homeless. Cornelius Uvimara, who is the protagonist of this story, has lived in Rwanda since the year 1900. He narrates everything he witnessed during the genocide and explains how he lost his close family members. The Tutsi tribe was the most affected because the Hutu were after killing them ultimately. Cornelius also reveals that his father was a traitor and was mostly responsible for the killings in Murambi town. Consequently, tribal cleansing is terrible because it results in the loss of innocent lives.

How does the theme of betrayal manifest itself in 'Murambi, the Book of Bones’?

The Rwandese genocide takes center stage the entire book, and it provides a vivid description of the events and how they unfolded. Cornelius narrates all the events before and after the lethal ethnic purging in Rwanda in the 1990s. Surprisingly in his research, Cornelius discovers that his father was behind the massacre in the town of Murambi. Cornelius' father started the Tutsi campaign, which resulted in his mother's death. Therefore, Cornelius' father betrayed his own family and the people of his town during the genocide.

Why is the author using the death of Cornelius’ mother to represent the gravity of the Rwandese genocide?

Cornelius finds it challenging to accept the truth and realities surrounding the demise of his mother and other close family members. The entire globe failed to understand Rwanda's ethnic cleansing intensity and how it resulted in many people's loss within a short period. The death of Cornelius’ mother represents the horrible experience that the Tutsi went through during the genocide. The Tutsi were the primary target, and it is even ironic that Cornelius' father turned against his people.