Bibiliya ivuga ko ibihe bihora bisimburana iteka. Hari abato bareba igihugu kiryoshye ubu, imihanda, imiturirwa, amashanyarazi, amashuri, telefone na televiziyo impande zose bakagira ngo niko u Rwanda rwahoze cyangwa se rubayeho vuba aha. Abakuze bo bazi ko u Rwanda rwahozeho ariko abenshi iyo bigeze ku ngoma za cyami, bagerageza kurwishushanyiriza mu nzozi kuko amafoto agaragaza u Rwanda mu myaka isaga ijana ishize ubwo abakoloni n’abamisiyoneri barwinjiragamo, ni mbarwa.
Hari abazi ko ibyo bihe byo guhera mu 1900 isi yari ikiri mu mwijima, ikoranabuhanga rikiri mu mishinga, nyamara siko bimeze. Ibyuma bifotora (camera) byari bikataje, nubwo ireme ry’ibyo byafataga ritari ryiza nk’iby’ubu.
Ni muri ubwo uburyo inzu ndangamurage yita ku buhanzi n’ubugeni nyafurika ibarizwa muri Leta Zunze Ubumwe za Amerika, National Museum of African Art, ibinyujije mu kigo cyayo cy’ubushakashatsi The Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives (EEPA), yakusanyije amafoto asaga ijana avuga ku Rwanda rwo hambere ubwo abakoloni b’abadage n’abamisiyoneri barukandagizagamo ikirenge.
Iki kigo gikora ubushakashatsi ku bugeni, umuco n’amateka bya Afurika cyifashishije abahanga mu gufotora banyuze kuri uwo mugabane, abanyamateka, inzobere mu byahise n’ibiriho ubu n’abandi. Amafoto avuga ku Rwanda bayakusanyirije mu mushinga bise ‘Peres Blancs (White Fathers) Photographic Albums’..
Ni amafoto agaragaza u Rwanda hagati y’umwaka wa 1900 na 1924. Muri ayo mafoto ubasha kwibonera imisozi y’u Rwanda itarangirika, imigezi n’inzuzi zitemba, inka n’abashumba ku misozi, intore ibwami zihamiriza, abasore basimbuka metero zirenga eshatu z’uburebure bw’urukiramende, abapfumu bagitera inzuzi, umwami agihekwa mu ngobyi, abagomeye umwami bamanikwa.
Ni amafoto agaragaramo cyane abamisiyoneri bo mu bihe bya mbere barimo Roger na Paul Van Hende, abanyafurika bari barinjiye mu gisirikare cy’abakoloni, Umwami Musinga n’umuryango we, abaturage b’u Rwanda mu bikorwa bitandukanye n’ibindi.
Aya mafoto yatunganyije atakwa mu buryo bumeze nka albums zimwe zibikwamo amafoto ahanaguye ariko ntibiyabuza kugaragaza umwimerere wayo n’icyanga cy’uburyo u Rwanda rw’icyo gihe rwari ruteye.
Dore amwe muri ayo mafoto nkuko yatangajwe na National Museum of African Art:

Abanyarwanda n’abakoloni batunganya impu zo kohereza mu mahanga

Abapfumu bane bateranye mu Rwanda rwo hambere

Aha umufotozi yafatiranye abacuzi bane b’abanyarwanda bari kuruhuka nyuma y’akazi kenshi. Bari bari kumwe n’abana babiri b’abahungu bari baje kureba ibyo bakora

Abana ku mugezi n’ibicuma bagiye kuvoma

Gutarama byahozeho. Aha intore zari zirimo zishimisha abantu mu birori

Umucuzi yicaranye n’abana iruhande rwe, bitegereza uwabafotoraga

Aba bacuzi umufotozi yabasanze ku Nyundo muri Rubavu bateranye

Inkumi ebyiri zihoberana kinyarwanda

Umubyeyi n’abana be bari mu rugo mu myaka ya 1900-1924

Ababikira bigisha abana i Save kuri misiyoni mu myaka yatambutse. Ikibaho cyabaga giteye hanze

Umwami Musinga, abiru n’umupadiri wera bafata ifoto y’urwibutso

Abacuzi bicaye imbere y’umuvuba

Aya mafoto agaragaza Umwami Musinga n’umuryango we

Abagabo bicaye hafi y’ikiyaga cya Ruhondo muri Burera

Aba bagabo bari bateraniye mu misozi ya Nyanza mu Majyepfo y’u Rwanda

Imisozi y’u Rwanda ikiri amasugi, imihindagurikire y’ibihe itaraza

Aba bahinzi bo mu bice by’amakoro y’ibirunga bari bari mu myaka yabo bahinze

Abanyarwanda n’umukoloni bicaye mu murima bitegeye imisozi

Ifoto igaragaza ibiti n’imirima y’u Rwanda mu bihe bya mbere by’ubukoloni

Umupadiri wera n’abana batatu b’abanyarwanda bicaye ku mugezi utemba hafi y’ikiyaga cya Ruhondo

Ifoto y’umutwe w’imbogo yafatiwe mu Rwanda

Ifoto ya mbere irimo abagore bambaye amashapule bagosora amasaka. Iya kabiri igaragaza abanyarwanda ku nkombe z’ikiyaga

Abanyaburayi bifotoreza ku ngona biciye mu Rwanda

Imitwaro y’impu zivuye mu Rwanda yari ijyanywe mu mahanga

Musinga n’abahungu be n’umwe mu bayobozi b’abakoloni bafata ifoto y’urwibutso. Aha kabiri ni intore zisusurutsa ibirori ibwami

Paul van Hende, Madamu Olivier na Roger van Hende b’abamisiyoneri bicaye munsi y’igiti

Roger na Paul van Hende bari kumwe n’abagabo b’abanyarwanda

Abamisiyoneri bicaranye n’abagabo b’abanyarwanda mu mirima

Aha hari kuwa 5 Werurwe 1903. Aha mbere ifoto igaragaza abapadiri bera bari kumwe n’Abanyarwanda ku isumo. Aha kabiri ni abagabo b’abanyarwanda bafotorewe i Nyanza

Ifoto igaragaza abanyarwanda bari mu bwato mu kiyaga

Intore zisusurutsa Umwami mu Musinga mu ngoro ye mu myaka yo hambere

Aya mafoto abiri agaragaza ingabo z’Abakoloni zabaga mu Rwanda ariko zigizwe n’Abanyafurika

Ifoto ibanza igaragaza umuryango nyarwanda wa gikristu wicaye ku musambi, iya kabiri ikagaragaza umusirikare afite imbunda

Abagabo b’Abanyarwanda bagashya mu kiyaga. Ifoto ya kabiri igaragaza abagabo b’abanyarwanda bicaye ku nkombe z’ikiyaga

Abanyaburayi barimo Paul na Roger Van Hende bakambitse hafi y’umugezi

Ifoto ibanza ni iy’abagabo bahagaze iruhande rw’ingobyi ya kinyarwanda, mu gihe iya kabiri igaragaza abana bari iruhande rw’inzu za kinyarwanda

Aha mbere, umwana yikoreye igitebo hamwe n’umugabo bahagaze mu nzu, ku ifoto ya kabiri abana bahagaze mu nzu yubakishije imigano n’imbingo

Iyi foto igaragaza umwana w’umuhungu wari urwaye ibibembe

Ubwato bw’abadage mu kiyaga

Umudage Paul Van Hende n’umugore we bahetswe mu ngobyi

Umwami Musinga ashagawe n’Intore nyarwanda mu myaka yo hambere

Umwami Musinga ahagaze hagati ya madamu Olivier ndetse na Roger Van Hende

Umugore wa Musinga ahagararanye n’umwana. Ifoto ya kabiri igaragaza umwana wambaye ishapule n’imyambaro ikoze mu byatsi

Umugore wa Musinga ahetswe mu ngobyi ashagawe n’abana mu gihe ku ifoto yo hasi hagaragara intore

Paul na Roger Van Hende bitegereza Abagabo b’abanyarwanda banywera inzoga mu kabindi. Hasi hagaragara intore nyarwanda zitambuka mu birori

Paul Van Hende ahagarikiye abagabo b’abanyarwanda mu gihe cyo gukora imirwanyasuri. Ifoto ya kabiri iriho umugabo wagashyaga mu kiyaga

Roger n’umugore we bicaye ku nkombe z’umugezi. Ifoto ya kabiri bari bahagaze ku kiraro

Ifoto y’umwe mu babaga bagomeye umwami uko bahanwaga

Ku ifoto ya mbere, igaragaza abanyarwanda bari kumwe na Paul van Hende bafite umutwe w’inka. Ifoto ya kabiri igaragaza abanyaburayi Paul van Hende na Roger bari kumwe n’abanyarwanda mu nkambi

Umwana w’umuhungu n’umukobwa b’abanyarwanda bambaye amashapule

Intore nyarwanda yifotoreza imbere y’urugo rwa kinyarwanda

Intore zihamiriza mu rugo rw’umwami Musinga. Ifoto ya kabiri igaragaza abagore b’abanyarwanda birabye ingwa ibwami kwa Musinga

Abanyarwanda basimbuka urukiramende i Nyanza

Abacuruzi b’Abaswahili bagiye gucuruza mu Rwanda banyuze mu kiyaga

Abapfumu babiri b’abanyarwanda bicaye ku kirago

Ifoto ya mbere igaragaza ingabo y’ibwamu, mu gihe iya kabiri igaragaza umwami Musinga

Umwana w’umunyarwanda hamwe n’umupadiri w’umumisiyoneri bahagaze mu murima hafi ya Kiliziya

Intore nyarwanda zihamiriza i Nyanza mu ngoro y’ibwami

Umugore n’abana be bifotoreza imbere y’urugo rw’imbingo. Ifoto ya kabiri igaragaza abana bambaye amashapule imbere y’urugo rw’imbingo

Abagore b’abanyarwanda bitabiriye ibirori bisize ingwa mu maso

Abagabo b’abanyarwanda basimbuka urukiramende i Nyanza

Aha umwami Musinga yari ahagaze iruhande rw’inka y’inyambo

Ishyo ry’inka nyarwanda ribyagiye, abashumba bazicaye imbere

Abanyarwandakazi bari kumwe n’abana babo

Abanyarwanda n’abapadiri bera mu isoko i Rwaza mu Majyaruguru

Umwami Musinga ahetswe mu ngobyi, abahungu be babiri bamuri iruhande ku munsi mukuru

Abapadiri bera babiri bahagararanye n’abanyarwanda

Umwami Musinga ari kumwe n’abaja be

Ifoto igaragaza abanyarwanda kuri misiyoni i Save

Abakiristu bavuye mu Misa i Save

Umworozi nyarwanda aragiye inka ze

Aborozi b’abanyarwanda baragiye inka zabo hafi y’i Nyanza

Abahinzi b’abanyarwanda bari mu mirima yabo mu Bugoyi, ubu ni mu karere ka Rubavu

Abagabo b’abanyarwanda bari kumwe n’inka y’inyambo

Ifoto igaragaza ikiyaga cya Burera mu Majyaruguru

Umwami Musinga ahagararanye n’abagaragu be ibwami

Ikiyaga kiri hejuru y’ikirunga cya Nyiragongo, ubu icyo kireunga kibarizwa muri Repubulika Iharanira Demokarasi ya Congo

Agasozi ka Rulindo mu Majyaruguru kataraturwa mu myaka ya 1900

Abahinzi nyarwanda bari mu murima bitegeye ikiyaga cya Ruhondo

Abagabo b’abanyarwanda mu murima bitegeye ikiyaga

Abahinzi mu bice by’Amajyaruguru bitegeye ibirunga

Ibibaya byo munsi y’ibirunga by’u Rwanda mu myaka ya 1900

Abahinzi hafi y’ikiyaga cya Muhazi

Munsi y’ibirunga, abahinzi nyarwanda bari bari mu mirima yabo

Umugore w’Umumisiyoneri hamwe n’umuhungu w’umwirabura bambuka umugezi

Aha inka zari ziragiwe ziri kurisha mu rwuri

Abanyarwanda n’abanyamahanga bagashya mu bwato mu kiyaga cya Muhazi

Ifoto yafatiwe ku Nyundo i Rubavu igaragaza ikirunga cya Nyiragongo

Ifoto ya mbere igaragaza abahinzi mu mirima mu Bugoyi, iya kabiri ikagaragaza abantu bicaye mu gikombe cy’umusozi

Abahigi nyarwanda bifotoreza ku nzovu bari bamaze kwica i Rwaza

Ku ifoto ibanza, hagaragara abahinzi mu mirima yabo hafi y’ibirunga, iya kabiri ni abagore bari bari kogoshana imisatsi

Ku ifoto ya mbere, umugore wa Van Hende yari ahetswe mu ngobyi ku mugezi wa Ruvyironza mu Burundi, bamujyanye mu Rwanda

Aha mbere abahinzi b’abanyarwanda bari ku misozi mu mirima yabo, aha kabiri abapadiri bera babiri n’itsinda ry’abana b’abanyarwanda bicaye ku musozi

Abana bicaye baruhuka hafi y’ibiti by’iminyinya