Sanlam’s ‘My Culture My Life’ Zooms in on Nama Culture

llumination of culture, the preservation of traditions and the affirmation of one’s identity and roots is what the Sanlam ‘My Culture My Life’ roadshow is all about.

On 10 June, the crew’s bags were packed, tyre pressure was checked and the tank was filled as the roadshow headed down south to the Hardap and //Karas regions, exploring one of the oldest tribes in Namibia – the Nama people. Specifically targeting youth, five towns and schools were visited and traditional leaders were consulted.

The brain behind this expedition of cultures is Zenao Angula, and for the past five years, the roadshow has been to the Omusati, Kavango East and West, Kunene and Erongo regions. The cultures dealt with previously were the Aawambo, Kavango and Damara.

With the use of music and dance, the project makes use of musicians from the specific regions who relate to the pupils in order to grab their attention and educate them more effectively.

This year, the exciting team was made of Gordon Joseph, who served as the emcee and host to the short documentary series throughout the week; songstress Adora Kisting, affectionately known as the queen of the south; Benediktus Witbooi who goes by Dikbones or simply just Bones, and Leeroy ‘S-Man’ Pieters, an Afrikaans rapper and “king of the south”.

While Joseph led the programme, the three artists not only entertained the pupils with their hit songs, but also took it upon themselves to educate them with informative and interesting presentations on Nama culture. Adora dived into the woman’s role in her culture, traditional Nama medicine, attire and jewellery as well as customs pertaining to menstruation and wedding proposals. Dikbones explored the creative parts of the culture, namely music, arts and crafts, while S-Man spoke on the origins of the Nama people.

“The Nama tradition is patchwork,” says Adora as she dons the traditional dress along with an ankle bracelet, leather veldskoene, a beaded necklace, a doek and cloth over her shoulders – which she describes as an accessory for older women. Certain accessories, Adora says, show whether a woman is single, married or whether she has menstruated for the first time.

“When I was a young girl and I got my first period, I was taken away into a separate hut until time passed,” she reminisces. During her menstruation, the singer says, she was taught about all the roles she was to undertake as a woman, how she should carry herself in public and how to wear the traditional Nama dress with esteem. “The ankle bracelet is to make the beautiful, round legs of Nama women appear even shorter,” Adora tells the youth, while explaining the Nama dress is not worn with open-toe shoes or high-heels, but rather flat shoes, normally veldskoene.

Energetic performer Dikbones grabbed the children’s attention with his presentation as he spoke in Khoekhoegowab and described the history of the Nama stap, langarm music, the traditional guitar (ramtjie), the reed flute and various crafts. “The Nama people were very impressed by the European violin, but they (the Europeans) did not want to share these instruments. As creative people, we came up with our own way of making this instrument,” he said. The early guitar of the Nama people was crafted with oil cans and strings until it reached a modern design. Dikbones shared that the flutes were carved from sugar cane in the early days and designed to reach different pitches as modern instruments.

“The Nama people originated in Botswana, moved to South Africa and later made their way into Namibia,” S-Man mentioned to the eager pupils. The rapper noted that the early Nama people were hunter-gatherers and had a simple, nomadic lifestyle.

“There are currently 10 Nama clans in Namibia,” he says.

The 10 consist of: The Khai||khaun, also known as the Red Nation or Rooinasie who are stationed at Hoachanas – also the main group and the oldest Nama clan in Namibia; !Gami‡nun (Bondelswarts) found at Warmbad; ‡Aonin or the southern Topnaars found at Rooibank; the northern Topnaars or !Gomen at Sesfontein and the !Kharakhoen (Fransman Nama) based at Gochas.

The ||Hawoben (Veldschoendragers) are found Koës; Bethanie is home to the !Aman; ||Ogain (Groot Doden) have a home at Schlip; the ||Khau|goan (Swartbooi Nama) were stationed at Rehoboth, later Salem, Ameib, and then Franzfontein; and the Kharo!oan (Keetmanshoop Nama) under the leadership of Hendrik Tseib split from the Red Nation in February 1850 and settled at Keetmanshoop.

The pupils of the Hardap and //Karas regions were ecstatic to have been visited by their favourite artists as they sang along, participated in question-and-answer sessions and entertained with their own dances, songs and plays.

The Nama culture is diverse and compelling as music, poetry and storytelling are fundamental to the roots of the people. The Nama culture is rich in the musical and literary abilities of its people and traditional music, folk tales, proverbs and praise poetry that have been passed down orally through generations.

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