Experience one of the world’s most important celebrations of nature and meet Rwanda’s newborn baby gorillas. Kwita Izina is modelled off a centuries old tradition in which Rwandans name their children in the presence of family and friends. In 2005, Rwanda began officially naming mountain gorillas in what has become a global celebration of nature. By giving a name to these majestic animals, we give them a value they undoubtedly deserve.
| The ceremony is an opportunity to thank the communities that live around Volcanoes National Park, our research partners, vets and the dedicated conservationists, rangers and trackers who protect the gorillas. Over the last 19 years, 397 mountain gorillas have been named. |
The naming of baby gorillas was invented so that the named gorillas could easily be identified and monitored in their family groups. The word Kwita Izina is derived from a local Kinyarwanda word to mean “ to give a name” giving a new born a name has been part of Rwanda’s culture and tradition for centuries that’s the very reason the Rwandan development board and government took the argue to name mountain gorillas to promote their conservation.
Every gorilla birth in Rwanda is a celebration to the conservation efforts since the time of Dian Fossey when mountain gorillas where almost extinct in the world, the gorilla naming ceremonies always take place at the significant volcanoes national park area at Kinigi in Musanze. Ever since the starting of the naming ceremonies in the year 2003, the celebration brought much awareness to the surrounding communities and the whole world at large about the importance of conserving nature and wildlife the population growth of gorillas also increased to 26.3% which is a great achievement. The Kwita Izina ceremony as been known as Africa’s leading dialogue on conservation and tourism, while at the naming ceremony tourists can enjoy other things like basket weaving, food, African music and a taste of true African culture.
