UC Irvine

This dissertation examines the overlooked experiences of dispossession among Rwanda's Indigenous Twa minority in the aftermath of genocide. Despite extensive scholarly attention on post-genocide Rwanda, little consideration has been given to the unique circumstances faced by the Twa, Rwanda's original inhabitants and only Indigenous micro-minority. Through a comprehensive ethnographic exploration, this research analyzes the intersecting dynamics of environmental governance, transitional justice, and nation-building projects that have shaped the Twa's marginalization. Drawing on over a decade of fieldwork in Rwanda, including more than 50 interviews and extensive participant observation, this study uncovers the systematic and multi-formed dispossession experienced by the Twa. Environmental governance and transitional justice policies have rendered the Twa invisible, denying them the right to identify ethnically or as an Indigenous group. Consequently, they face eviction from their ancestral lands, exclusion from conservation initiatives, and marginalization within Rwandan society. Despite Rwanda's ambitious goals to transform the nation into a "non-ethnic" luxury eco-tourist destination, the Twa remain excluded from these initiatives, perpetuating their impoverishment and dispossession. Furthermore, the legal limitations on Indigenous discourse hinders the Twa's ability to advocate for their rights and challenge state-sponsored expropriation. This research contributes to broader anthropological discussions of dispossession by analyzing the ideological underpinnings perpetuating marginalization and dispossession. By centering the experiences of the Twa, this study challenges dominant narratives of Rwandan history and ethnicity, highlighting the symbolic significance of the Twa in understanding identity formation and reconciliation processes.