Meet the royal herd of cattle treated to poetry and music

Rwanda’s renowned Inyambo cows symbolize the nation’s rich cultural heritage. Historically associated with royalty, they are now pampered with poetry and music at a museum in Nyanza. With their long and crescent-shaped horns, the Inyambo cows graze at the King’s Palace Museum in Nyanza and at the homes of some of Rwanda's richest people, including President Paul Kagame. The breed is descended from the distinctive Ankole cattle of East Africa and is also found in neighboring Uganda and Burundi. The Inyambo have long been associated with nobility, as they were raised in royal courts where they symbolized wealth, prestige, and power. Bigira Junior, a curator at the King's Palace Museum, says they are “sacred symbols.” “They’re not for milk, they’re not for meat. They would just be used as decor around the palaces. They would parade them around, use them in ceremonies, basically around the King's Court. The kings would basically present them to the other kings that have visited the palaces, for people to admire, see and say ‘yeah they are looking good,’” he explains. Even though the monarchy no longer exists in Rwanda, so revered are the cows that the traditional gifting and exchange among kingdoms has been embraced by Kagame. The president's practice of giving cattle to heads of state has even been called in local newspaper reports “Inyambo diplomacy.” As Rwanda seeks more tourists, it is investing heavily in places like the King’s Palace Museum, where the Inyambo cows are the main attraction. The cows are pampered with melodious poetry describing their beauty and calling them by their names. This is believed to calm the cows ahead of major events where they are presented to visitors or during traditional ceremonies. “You have beautiful horns. Move your head so that we can see your beautiful neck and body. You are the most beautiful cow among others,” the caretaker sings. The cows are also brushed by caretakers, another way of calming them. “Remember, they are to be loved and cherished, and you can’t love something from afar. You have to get close to it,” Junior says. This article was provided by The Associated Press.