Concepts of Umutara and Imigongo Colour Based Design in the Traditional Arts of Rwandans and Their Applications in Interior and Fashion Technologies

Abstract

Currently it is estimated that the handicraft industry earns Rwanda between 3 and 4 million US Dollars annually, with the potential to raise over 7 million US Dollars annually in its export earnings to complement the coffee, tea and mineral exports that have been dominating Rwanda's export receipts as reported in the East African new paper of 6^th July, 2012. In the incongruity, some authors consider the Traditional Arts of Rwandans as a buried gold in the soft soils of the riverbank where torrential waters gradually wear away those soft soils to supply alluvium into the lands located far away from the origin because they are almost held in hands of rural and illiterate people who are intentionally and unintentionally influenced by businessmen mainly focussing on their own interests in the market. From that reason, this paper entitled "Concepts of Umutara and Imigongo Colour Based Design in the Traditional Arts of Rwandans and their Applications in Interior and Fashion Technologies” replicates the originality and uniquity of the Traditional Arts of Rwandans into a systemized form that can officially be instructed in schools as new opportunity for economic development in Rwanda. To achieve this, a systematic examination of the gradual development of Rwandan Arts from ancient times, followed by a comparative study among the physical world collectively and the sounding features of the original products handcrafted by Rwandans or by foreigners and the computation of the mutual relationship among colours had scientifically turned out a comprehensive form outlining in details the instinct imagination and creative skill of Rwandans.