Tutsi

Tutsi is a historical and ethnolinguistic term used in the African Great Lakes region, especially in Rwanda and Burundi, to refer to one of the main social groups in these societies. In pre-colonial Rwanda and Burundi, Tutsi, Hutu, and Twa described broad social and economic roles rather than fixed racial lines. Tutsi were commonly associated with pastoralist and aristocratic status, while Hutu were primarily agriculturalists and Twa were a smaller hunter-gatherer group. The boundaries between groups were not rigid, and individuals could change status through marriage, achievement, or migration.

Colonial administrations in the late 19th and 20th centuries reinforced and bureaucratized these categories. German and later Belgian authorities created identity cards, censuses, and political structures that linked ethnicity to governance and landholding. The official emphasis on ethnic identity helped entrench tensions and contributed to political mobilization around Tutsi and Hutu identities.

In the late 20th century, conflicts in both Rwanda and Burundi were deeply shaped by ethnic politics. Rwanda experienced a genocide in 1994 in which the Tutsi population suffered mass killings organized by extremist factions. Burundi endured civil conflict and repeated ethnic violence during the 1990s and early 2000s. In the post-genocide era, Rwanda has moved away from official recognition of ethnicity, promoting a national identity and civic citizenship; laws and policies discourage ethnic classification in public life. Burundi has faced ongoing volatility and efforts at reconciliation amid continued debates over ethnic identity in politics.

Today, the term Tutsi remains a historical and political label with varying meanings across contexts. In Rwanda, ethnicity is generally de-emphasized in official life, while in Burundi it continues to influence political discourse more visibly.