Keeping up with culture

THE population mix in most areas has dramatically changed the traditions, art and customs of Namibians, raising questions of how far the cultures of different people will survive the onslaught of various influences.

In a bid to preserve their culture, 290 Oshiwambo language students at the University of Namibia celebrated the Oshipe tradition on Saturday at the main campus in Windhoek.

Adorned in beautiful traditional attire and flanked by their lecturers, the students showcased cultural practices, plays, cooked traditional food and brewed traditional beer as part of the celebrations.

The main aim of the event was for the students to put to practice what they were taught in class as a way of perfecting and preserving tradition.

Breaking the common myth that culture is dying out, students felt the opposite and expressed the wish to retain traditional homes in addition to modern ones.

Miina Nashima, a second-year student, defined Oshipe as a common practice of the Aawambo, where families come together to thank God for giving them good mahangu harvests, wild berries, palm and marula fruits as well as for providing farmers the strength to do their daily chores.

Nashima said Oshipe is celebrated in three ways: for mahangu, shilyaawala (sorghum) and noshipe shomboga (traditional spinach).

“The common practice at Oshipe is shaving off all children’s hair, so that they can grow healthier hair as they enter the new year,” she said.

Oshipe’s importance is to bring people closer together and to remind them of various Owambo practices; how they evolved; and their societal uses.

Nashima said she would love to keep some of these practices alive when she gets a home of her own one day.

“These things have to be practised. Our culture should not die and I certainly want the man I will marry to have some traditional knowledge as well,” she said.

Sharing the same sentiments is Sesilia Sheetekela, a fourth-year Oshiwambo major student.

Sheetekela, said she would definitely want to have a traditional house when the opportunity presents itself.

She explained that although the Saturday celebration was a recommended practice in their course, she believes the main aim is to maintain the cultural heritage.

“I have learnt how the Ovawambo people honour and celebrate this harvest. I have also learnt how different dishes are prepared for this specific occasion,” Sheetekela said.

“Definitely, these things define who we are and they are part of us. Our parents do not teach us or tell us how some of these things are done back at home,” she said as she continued to explain why she enjoyed the festival.

“I would also love my wife to know cultural norms. If necessary, I would ask my female cousins to teach her,” said Johannes Shilombolwa as he joined the conversation.

Shilombolwa said as a fourth-year English and Oshiwambo student, he learned a lot from the cultural event.

Apart from the preparation of dishes, he also learned about the different activities which take place during an initiation in a traditional house.

He says the youth are the future owners of houses and they can only preserve tradition if they learn the ropes early.

Unam lecturer and head of the Oshiwambo section, Petrus Mbenzi, said the students participate in this event to promote cultural concepts; be aware of their history; contribute to their customs; and learn about their parents’ backgrounds.

Mbenzi said students have demonstrated what they know, but they still have a lot to learn.

“They should appreciate our culture because it is rich and they can learn some scientific knowledge,” he advised.

Students had prepared traditional food such as palm fruits, oonyandi, traditional chicken, mahangu porridge, omwayi, ondjove, oshingali and drinks such as omahangu traditional beer. No Western food was offered.

tuyeimo@namibian.com.na

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