“Gusimbura”

The concept of "gusimbura," or of encountering painful memories, is an idea and experience that underpins the entire narrative. Part One is a third-person narrative of memories that, for a considerable period of time (as described in Part Two), afflicted him with "gusimbura"; Part Two is a first-person description of Deo's experience of essentially performing "gusimbura" on himself, triggering painful memories in the hope that doing so will help him recover from the suffering in his life, and that those memories have caused for so long.

Burundi

Burundi is a small country close to the middle of Africa. It was colonized by European countries such as Belgium and Germany; gained political and economic independence in the early 1960's; and has, throughout its existence, been troubled by poverty, ethnic conflict, and exploitation. Burundi is the country in which Deo was born and raised; from which he flees as...