President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has called on Namibia to use celebrations of cultural identity to unite the country rather than allowing them to create division.
Speaking on Saturday at the annual Omagongo Cultural Festival, which is celebrated at Onamega in the Omusati region this year, Nandi-Ndaitwah said the festival demonstrates that Namibia’s cultural diversity is a strength.
“We must reject in the strongest terms any attempts to use our diverse cultures and traditions to divide us,” Nandi-Ndaitwah said.
The Omagongo Cultural Festival celebrates the marula fruit, which is harvested and turned into a beverage called omagongo.
“This cultural event celebrates the customs, traditions and identity of the Aawambo people while promoting unity in diversity and our rich cultural heritage,” the president said.
The marula tree is used for food, beverages and traditional medicine, making it a symbol of Namibia’s indigenous knowledge systems, she said.
She added: “It also recognises the hard work of women, who traditionally harvest and prepare the marula fruit into omagongo, demonstrating the contribution of women to economic development and nation-building.”
The president said indigenous knowledge systems can be used more productively to support the development of the nation. The marula fruit can be turned into a jam, or be used as an ingredient in cosmetics, providing livelihoods for northern communities.
“I call upon the youth, women and the private sector to seize this opportunity and collaborate with traditional authorities to invest in our traditional products,” she said.
The festival is recognised by the United Nations as an intangible cultural heritage, and is celebrated each year in one of the eight traditional authorities in central northern Namibia.
Nandi-Ndaitwah also used her speech to raise concerns about what she described as criminality that “undermines the peace and stability for which our people sacrificed”.
After reports about a 16-year-old boy saving twin children whose mother attempted to drown them on Sunday, she announced she would recognise the boy, Cornelius Shimwaafeni, as a national hero.
She called on Namibians to reject violence and work together with the Namibian Police to root out criminal activity.
