KIRUNDI
Kirundi, also known as Rundi, is a dialect of the Rwanda-Rundi language spoken by nine million people in Burundi and adjacent parts of Tanzania and Congo-Kinshasa, as well as in Uganda. It is the official language of Burundi.
The inhabitants of Rwanda and Burundi belong to several different ethnic groups: Hutu (84%), Tutsi, including Hima (15%), and Twa (1%) (a pygmy people).
WHERE IS IT SPOKEN?
BURUNDI
UGANDA
TANZANIA
RUANDA
NUMBER OF SPEAKERS
5 MILLION
LANGUAGE FAMILY
NIGER - CONGO
THREE FUN FACTS ABOUT KIRUNDI PEOPLE
1. Customs
Most of the Kirundi customs revolve around the treatment of cattle which are considered sacred. For instance, milk cannot be heated, boiled or drunk on the same day that peanuts or peas are consumed. When a cow dies, its horns are planted in the soil close to the hut in order to bring more fortunes.
2. Tones
Kirundi language is tonal, since it has high and low essential tones. Kirundi Language is referred as a language where Meeussen's rule is active, this rule describes a certain pattern of tonal change in Bantu languages.
3. Traditional foods
Common foods found in Burundi are primarily plant based foods. Foods found in the daily diet are sweet potatoes, peas, corn, beans, bananas, plantains, cassava, millet and sorghum. Sorghum is ground and used for porridge or pancakes. Foods in Burundi are mostly boiled, stewed or roasted over a fire. Meat is rarely consumed and fish is only consumed around the area of Lake Tanganyika
