Kwita Izina is a Rwandan ceremony of giving a name to a newborn baby gorilla. It is named after the ancestral baby naming ceremony that happened after the birth of a newborn.
The ceremony’s main goal is in helping monitor each individual gorilla and their groups in their natural habitat.
The Kwita Izina officially began the naming of mountain gorillas in 2005. The act has now become a global celebration of nature.
The ceremony is an opportunity to thank the communities that live around Volcanoes National Park, research partners, vets, and the dedicated conservationists, rangers, and trackers who protect the gorillas.
Over the last 15 years, more than 300 mountain gorillas have been named according to visitrwanda site.
In 2020, Rwanda celebrated World Gorilla Day by naming 24 baby mountain gorillas in a virtual celebration of the majestic endangered animals and the champions of conservation who protect them every day.
World Gorilla Day marks the day that gorilla conservationist Dian Fossey established the Karisoke Research Center in Rwanda in 1967.
It is a day that encourages people around the globe to join conservation efforts to protect gorillas in the wild.
Now in its 16th year, the Kwita Izina ceremony, saw Rwandans, conservation partners, special guests, and friends of Rwanda celebrate the occasion.
The 24 baby mountain gorillas were named by staff who work in the gorilla’s natural habitat of Volcanoes National Park.
They are the front liners of conservation who protect and care for them and include park rangers, guides, wardens, trackers, porters, and veterinary doctors.
Arsenal first-team players Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Hector Bellerin, and Bernd Leno also joined the celebration by naming baby gorillas.
Rwanda has emerged as a conservation and sustainable tourism leader in the continent. For instance, while in the 2010 Census there were 480 mountain gorillas, the 2016 Census report indicated 604 individuals in the Virunga Massif.
These efforts have contributed to the increase in the number of mountain gorillas worldwide (1,004), and their categorisation as no longer critically endangered.
Apart from naming gorillas and preserving nature, the Kwita Izina is generally a day of celebration with dances and music to entertain local and international guests.
