Within these two groups existed a patron-client relationship, designed to strengthen the bond between the population and the king. Payment was mostly in cattle. This bond could be used to bind the powerful to the nonpowerful people. This relationship although meant to protect both parties, usually benefited the individual in power. The rulers of Rwanda were Tutsi, while the subjects were the Hutu. For instance, one man might give another a cow to symbolize their bond. There were other types of relationships, one called umuheto and the other Ubuhake. In terms of umuheto, a chief or someone superior/ very powerful might provide protection to one not powerful for a gift. For instance, Tutsi used umuheto, while the hutu used Ubuhake. Ubuhake
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If the richer/ superior person accepted the offer to become a patron, he would give a cow to the client to symbolize the relationship. If a hutu was the client, he was supposed to support his patron. Thus, he became protected from other [powerful] Tutsis. To create strong bonds, the king could/ would make a Tutsi an army chief into a client by giving him “the right to establish umuheto ties”. The army chief would establish ties, in turn with his own Umuheto client lineages” (African history, 1995).This is how, the king created a strong bond. This type of relationship was relatively new, farmers and herders lived equally. The farmers lived independently on their land and the herders did the same. At that time, the kingdom was still small, but overtime it grew. The king wanted loyalty from the military leaders who headed the conquered areas; the patron-client relationship gave them that. With permission from the king, the army chief could take a land in the conquered lands or have a umuheto relationship. The herders and farmers who already lived in those conquered lands now had to pay tribute, whether in cattle or other materials to the king. Those who were wealthy ( the wealthy herders) could form those bonds with the Tutsi from the
If the richer/ superior person accepted the offer to become a patron, he would give a cow to the client to symbolize the relationship. If a hutu was the client, he was supposed to support his patron. Thus, he became protected from other [powerful] Tutsis. To create strong bonds, the king could/ would make a Tutsi an army chief into a client by giving him “the right to establish umuheto ties”. The army chief would establish ties, in turn with his own Umuheto client lineages” (African history, 1995).This is how, the king created a strong bond. This type of relationship was relatively new, farmers and herders lived equally. The farmers lived independently on their land and the herders did the same. At that time, the kingdom was still small, but overtime it grew. The king wanted loyalty from the military leaders who headed the conquered areas; the patron-client relationship gave them that. With permission from the king, the army chief could take a land in the conquered lands or have a umuheto relationship. The herders and farmers who already lived in those conquered lands now had to pay tribute, whether in cattle or other materials to the king. Those who were wealthy ( the wealthy herders) could form those bonds with the Tutsi from the