Why is There a Giant Basket on This Building in Kigali?

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First time visitors to Kigali might wonder why there is this giant basket on a building? I know I did.

📍Where are we?

Let’s start with the basics: we’re in Africa, in Rwanda, in Kigali, and finally, we arrive at the Gasabo district. Gasabo is a district in Kigali, and “Gasabo” (also known as “agaseke”) means “basket” in the local language, Kinyarwanda.

The Story Behind the Basket

Each district in Kigali has a symbol, and the district of Gasabo chose a basket. To celebrate this, they decided to place a giant basket on top of a building, making it a unique and memorable landmark in Kigali. It’s unlikely that you’ll find a similar building with a basket on top anywhere else in the world.

This distinctive feature not only represents the cultural heritage of the area but also adds a touch of charm and character to the district. If you’ve been in Rwanda for some time seeing baskets becomes an everyday occurence; a lot of the symbols and souvenirs in Rwanda use this. The best example of the everyday use of this symbolism is the 5000 Rwandan Franc note below which you’ll see every time you have to pay with cash.

Rwandan francs 5000 note

A Unique Landmark

The giant basket is a pretty unique landmark in Kigali. It’s an interesting blend of modern architecture and traditional symbolism, creating a visual representation of the district’s identity.

Source: Friends in Kigali. Thanks to Adonia, Clemence, Gad and Sandrine

Music: Amaliza by Ruti Joel

PS:

I found the source of this particular audio on YouTube from one of Ruti Joel’s concerts - Rumata wa Musomandera - Part (3) (Official concert video)

You’ll have to forward to around the 21:00 minute to reach where this song starts.