A group of young children in a nursery eagerly receive the gift of milk from a loving young mother. These may be children of the king judging from the setting, which depicts the intricately woven walls and mats that are the hallmark of the traditional king’s palace at Nyanza. Milk–and the cows from which it comes–is highly esteemed by Rwandan society. According to custom, before milk can be used, it is presented to a respected elder who touches the milk container and gives thanks to God for it.
