A Traditional Naming Ceremony to save Infant Mountain Gorillas

• 

A Traditional Naming Ceremony to save Infant Mountain Gorillas

In the year 1996, Mountain Gorillas had been declared “Critically endangered” Since the number of these majestic animals was only almost over 250 in the world.  Known to be the largest living primates, the Mountain Gorillas stand up to 2 meters tall and could weigh up to 490 pounds.  Don’t let their size jolt you though as unthreatened, they are very peaceful and shy herbivorous animals feeding mainly on wild celery, thistle, and nettle. The Mountain Gorillas live in families or Troops and are very patriarchal; the male being the head of the family.

The mountain gorillas can be found in only 3 countries in the world and wild, Spanning three adjacent National parks; Uganda National Park and three other parks in the Virunga Mountains and volcanoes national parks Bordering the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda. The Mountain Gorillas inhabit the bamboo covered slopes of the national parks.

The Mountain Gorillas have been victims of war, especially the 14-year conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo, being maimed and killed by rebel groups and hunted for game meat. Human encroachment has placed a high health risk to the gorilla population transmitting human-borne diseases to these vulnerable primates, the common flu being fatal to the massive vegetarians.  Infant Mountain Gorillas are occasionally abducted by humans to be sold as pets. Most mountain gorillas would not attain their life expectancy of 50 years.

Naming the Infants

The Kwita Izina is borrowed from the Rwandan ancestral ceremony of naming human infants.  Incepted in 2005, The Gorilla naming ceremony takes place every year in Kinigi, Volcanoes national park in Rwanda home to 10 Mountain gorilla families and the largest population of gorillas in the world with over 650 mountain gorillas. The theme of 2017 Kwita Izina ceremony  “Conservation is Life” was graced by Rwandan and International officials, conservationists, Musicians, and Sports personalities.

Naming a baby Gorilla is considered a great honor. Baby Namers are carefully selected, to include individuals who have contributed to conservation efforts globally.  Kwita Izina is an adventurous ceremony that includes many activities; game drives, gala dinner, and canopy walk. The Mountain gorilla infant names are based on Location, families and birth circumstance of the infants. In the 2017 event, some selected names were

Umesaruro– Meaning Harvest

Umuryango– Meaning Family

Irebero – Symbol

Achievements

Kwita Izina has greatly contributed to the conservation of Mountain gorillas.  During the last 13 years, 258 baby Mountain Gorillas have been named. According to recent statistics, the number of mountain Gorillas worldwide has reached a peak of 1000! Kwita Izina has proved successful in identifying each mountain gorilla in their respective families and facilitate specialized doctors to take care of their health.

The proceeds from the ceremony have improved the lives of communities living near the park by constructing schools, Hospitals and sensitization programs aimed at educating the communities on Gorilla conservation.  The surface area of the park has also been increased.  

The increasing population of mountain Gorillas by intensive efforts like Kwita Izina and Conservation organizations has put the mountain Gorillas off the critically endangered list and is an assurance that the future human generation will have a chance to revere the mountainous primates. But this still calls for extreme attention to each and every individual mountain gorilla. You can be part of this conservation programme and maybe an Infant namer in 2019!