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Dani Short
Miss Schmidt
Honors English 9
4/16/16

1. Both of Immaculees parents were teachers and the adamant believers in a good
education. Her mom and dad were the first high school graduates of the family. Dad was
promoted from a primary school teacher to a junior high school principle and eventually
the chief administrator for all Catholic schools in their district. Most of the villagers
thought Immaculee and her family were wealthy. Although they were not, villagers would
still refer to her dad as Muzungu meaning white man or rich person.
Her parents were devout Roman Catholics who strongly believed in the Golden
Rule. They often had another living with them because they had fallen upon hard times
and needed a place to stay. Immaculees dad spent many hours doing volunteer work
and her mom could never turn away from anyone in need. Immaculees parents treated
the village as their extended family. Her dad had a reputation as being educated, so
people traveled for miles seeking his advice on family problems, money woes and
business ventures. He was also called to settle local squabbles and settle unruly children.
Her dad always made people feel as if they had resolved their difficulties. Immaculees

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mother was sought out for her advice, most by women with problems with their
husbands.

2. Immaculees parents did not teach her about her own history. She did not know that
Rwanda was made up of three tribes. Her parents did not want her and her siblings to
know about the discrimination, killing sprees, ethnic cleansing, or racial identity cards
while they were young. Those things were not apart of Immaculees youth. Everyone was
welcome in their home regardless of race, religion, or tribe. If you had good character
you were greeted with open arms in Immaculees family. Her parents were leaders and
did not talk about what tribe they belonged to. It did not matter to them if you were Hutu
or Tutsi.

3. Buhoro, Immaculees teacher took tribal role call on her first day of school for older kids.
He would account for all the Hutus, Tutsis, and Twa in the class. First he said, Hutus,
stand up! Six kids in the fourth grade class stood up. Then he yelled, All Tutsis stand
up now! He was checking off names with a big pencil when he stopped and looked at
Immaculee. He said in a hard and mean voice that Immaculee had not stood up for any of
the tribes he called. Immaculee explained that she did not know what tribe she belonged
to. The teacher yelled at her and told her to leave and to return when she knew what tribe
she belonged to. She ran into the schoolyard, hid behind some bushes, and cried until her
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brother Damascene found her. He told her when the teacher took tribal role call, to stand
up with her friends.