Imigongo Art of Nyakarambi

Imigongo are geometric panels built up in relief from cow dung mixed with ash and clay, then dried, smoothed and painted in black, white, ochre and red. The tradition is credited to a prince of the old Gisaka kingdom in this corner of the country, and it was revived in the 1950s. Cooperatives at Nyakarambi make and sell the work, and visitors can watch the whole process, which involves rather less smell than the description suggests.

What you actually see

• The panel making - dung, ash and clay built up in relief and left to dry.
• The geometry - spirals, zigzags and diamonds in black, white, ochre and red.
• The cooperatives - workshops at Nyakarambi where the work is made and sold.
• The Gisaka tradition - the eastern kingdom the art is credited to.

When to go

Year round; workshops run on weekdays and are quieter at weekends. Calling ahead helps since production varies. The drive out from Kigali takes about three hours.

Honest expectations

The cooperatives are small and there may be little in production on a given day. Nyakarambi is a long drive from Kigali for a two-hour visit. Prices for large panels are high and shipping is a problem.

Nearby

Rusumo falls are south at the border, and Akagera is north.