Cultural Differences Among Families in the “Hotel Rwanda” Film

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Description of Movie Family
Family Processes
Family Values
Conclusion
References

Introduction

The film is set in Rwanda during the outbreak of the 1994 genocide that claimed the lives of more than 800,000 people (Eleanor, 2004). In this film, Paul Rusesabagina (Don Cheadle) is a member of the majority Hutu ethnic group and a manager of a luxurious hotel in Kigali named Sabena, a subsidiary of the Hotel des Mille Collines international group. Despite being a Hutu, Rusesabagina is married to Tatiana (Sophie Onkedo), a member of the Tutsi ethnic group (Eleanor, 2004). However, his marriage exposes the cultural differences between the two groups, with his closest friends seeking to execute him for being a moderate Hutu.

The film reveals some deep-rooted cultural differences between the Tutsi and Hutu ethnic groups, which pose a major problem that risks the lives of thousands of individuals and families. Arguably, the existence of cultural differences between families across the lifespan is the most significant problem affecting the family of Rusesabagina as he attempts to play the role of a corporate manager and a family man (Eleanor, 2004).

Description of Movie Family

As mentioned above, Rusesabagina is a Hutu but married to a Tutsi woman. This exposes him to attack by his Hutu friends and neighbors. His family is therefore an example of families that attempt to overcome the tensions created by cultural differences between the two ethnic groups. The couple has three children, whose ethnic identity is complicated because they cannot be Hutus and Tutsis at the same time.

Family Processes

Culture and ethnic traits: The main aspects of the family process in this film are ethnicity (ethnic traits) and culture. Ethnically, the children are supposed to be considered Hutus in Rwandan culture. However, the fact that their mother is a Tutsi exposes them to violence. In addition, they have light skin, a natural characteristic of the Tutsi people. In general, the Hutus have a black complexion, short and relatively stocky (Luis, 2004). The Hutu militia recognizes their victims by color and height. However, the relationship between Rusesabagina and his wife is strong, which exposes them to execution. The cultural differences between the two groups arise from historical facts and stereotypes. The Belgian colonialists gave more economic, military, and political powers to the Tutsi because they believed that they were closer to the Europeans than the Hutus, owing to their color and height. On the other hand, the Hutus believed that they were more “Rwandans” than the Tutsis because the latter came from certain places in Ethiopia because of their color. These factors have a profound effect on several other aspects.
Sociocultural influences: The Rusesabagina family experiences the differences between the two groups based on sociocultural factors. For instance, the Hutus are relatively impoverished and appear stocky. They mainly live in villages, while the Tutsis have an advantage because of historical aspects. However, the government was led y the Hutus, giving them an advantage because they controlled the military, police, and other vital organs of the government. Rusesabagina’s position is relatively different because he is fluent in English and French while his ethnic group is mostly Franco-African. He has a better job in business, unlike his fellow Hutus.
Environmental: The cultural and environmental differences affecting the Rwandan society have an impact on the Rusesabagina family. As the film begins, the family is living in a city suburb but soon becomes isolated in the hotel after the outbreak of the violence. On the other hand, other families live in an environment dominated by war, hatred, murder, and violence.
Communication: the process of communication is an important aspect that holds the Rusesabagina family together. For instance, through communication, the couple ensures that their children are aware of their situation- they are both Hutus and Tutsis. In addition, the couple does not exhibit ethnic or cultural differences common in their tribes. Moreover, effective communication between Rusesabagina and his wife makes the couple provide security to more than 1,200 people in the hotel.
Power/Decision making: It is evident that the Rusesabagina family makes decisions based on effective communication between the parents. Rusesabagina makes major decisions such as determining the kind of transport necessary to evacuate his family. However, he decides to remain behind as his family and other refugees are evacuated in the first attempt, which irritates his wife.

Family Values

The family is held together by certain values that they have adopted. For instance, love and caring are two specific values demonstrated in the film. Rusesabagina is ready to risk his life to save his family. He is aware that his family is exposed to violence due to his wife’s ethnicity. In addition, his wife risks her life to save the children and other members of the Tutsi ethnicity. In addition, the family is held together through knowledge of the “right and the wrong”. The husband believes it is wrong to kill another person for the sake of ethnic differences. They make their children believe that they are Rwandans as opposed to being Tutsis or Hutus.

Family dynamics and children rearing: The family is affected by the same dynamics affecting the Rwandan society during the violence. For instance, families are separated due to killings. Rusesabagina remains held up in the office as he discusses with his European bosses while his wife is protecting the children. He also remains behind during the first evacuation attempt while his family moves together with the refugees. It is also worth noting that the couple has three children, which is comparable to other Rwandan families that have many children. Thus, Rusesabagina’s family is relatively modernized and westernized due to his exposure to the workplace.
Adaptation to new situations: Rusesabagina’s family struggles to adapt to different environments. First, they must live in an environment whether Hutus and Tutsis hate each other and the tension is building between the two cultural groups. Secondly, they must survive in an environment dominated by lawlessness and threats. They also adapt to an isolated life in the hotel, with the marauding militias seeking to eliminate them. Finally, they must survive in a new environment in Belgium, where they finally find refuge.
Assessment of development and Functional competency: Rusesabagina’s family exhibits evidence of optimal competency due to its ability to stand together within the members’ values of love and unity. They believe that they can remain together despite the cultural differences between the parents as well as the threats they receive from the militia and the military. In addition, Rusesabagina provides love, care, protection, and support to his family as well as his wife’s relatives and other neighbors.

Conclusion

The film depicts a family that undergoes social and cultural dynamism due to the prevailing conditions and events. Despite death threats, separations, and other factors affecting Rusesabagina’s family, it is evident that the values of love and unity held the family together and helped them overcome these problems.

References

Eleanor, G. R. (2004). Hotel Rwanda. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 12(2), 234-239.

Luis, J. R. (2004). The Levant versus the Horn of Africa: Evidence for Bidirectional Corridors of Human Migrations. American Journal of Human Genetics 74(3), 532–544.

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Cultural Differences Among Families in the “Hotel Rwanda” Film

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