Swakop mall Xmas tree removed for not being ‘European enough’

TOO African, too American, not European enough.The Ghost of Christmas Past seems to be haunting Swakopmund with the disappearance this week of an African-themed Christmas tree.

The tree was lit in The Arcade on Sunday in the presence of some 140 witnesses, but by Tuesday it was no longer there. Some people blamed the vanishing on ever-lurking bag snatchers; others claimed they had spotted the magician David Copperfield in town.Yet others wondered if the Grinch who stole Christmas had paid a flying visit to the coastal town, or whether it was just a case of the spirit of Scrooge manifesting itself.The real explanation came in a letter from The Arcade Merchants Association (TAMA), in which they stated that the owner of most of the shops in The Arcade, Werner Gossow, had demanded the immediate dismantling of the tree.According to TAMA Chairman Don Flewellen, Gossow argued that it was not a traditional Christmas tree with all the usual greenery.According to Flewellen, Gossow said the flashing lights were “too American” and the decorations were “too African”, and he offered to buy a “proper and culturally acceptable” European tree.TAMA summarily withdrew from the Christmas Tree Project, which is an annual fundraising event for the Swakopmund Rotary Club, and insisted that Gossow dismantle the tree himself.Flewellen said: “It is regrettable that all the effort to promote the spirit of Christmas in The Arcade, which the whole of Swakopmund and our visitors has enjoyed, has been soured by this confrontation.”The controversial tree consisted of the frame of the familiar tree that has decorated The Arcade for the last six years, the branches covered with jute and decorated with calabashes and carved makalani palm seeds.According to Jens von der Fecht, President of the Rotary Club of Swakopmund, the African tree had a very special Namibian look and a lot of thought went into decorating it.Gossow told The Namibian that many people and businesses had contributed to buy the beautiful green tree that had been admired in The Arcade for years and that 70 per cent of those contributors were unhappy with the African theme.”The branches covered in jute just didn’t look good.It is not the Christmas tree I grew up with,” Gossow said.He said the green “leaves” of the original tree had become frayed and TAMA had had a full year to spruce it up.He is now waiting for new greenery from Windhoek and if it is not available, The Arcade will remain treeless this season.Some people blamed the vanishing on ever-lurking bag snatchers; others claimed they had spotted the magician David Copperfield in town.Yet others wondered if the Grinch who stole Christmas had paid a flying visit to the coastal town, or whether it was just a case of the spirit of Scrooge manifesting itself.The real explanation came in a letter from The Arcade Merchants Association (TAMA), in which they stated that the owner of most of the shops in The Arcade, Werner Gossow, had demanded the immediate dismantling of the tree. According to TAMA Chairman Don Flewellen, Gossow argued that it was not a traditional Christmas tree with all the usual greenery.According to Flewellen, Gossow said the flashing lights were “too American” and the decorations were “too African”, and he offered to buy a “proper and culturally acceptable” European tree.TAMA summarily withdrew from the Christmas Tree Project, which is an annual fundraising event for the Swakopmund Rotary Club, and insisted that Gossow dismantle the tree himself.Flewellen said: “It is regrettable that all the effort to promote the spirit of Christmas in The Arcade, which the whole of Swakopmund and our visitors has enjoyed, has been soured by this confrontation.”The controversial tree consisted of the frame of the familiar tree that has decorated The Arcade for the last six years, the branches covered with jute and decorated with calabashes and carved makalani palm seeds.According to Jens von der Fecht, President of the Rotary Club of Swakopmund, the African tree had a very special Namibian look and a lot of thought went into decorating it.Gossow told The Namibian that many people and businesses had contributed to buy the beautiful green tree that had been admired in The Arcade for years and that 70 per cent of those contributors were unhappy with the African theme.”The branches covered in jute just didn’t look good.It is not the Christmas tree I grew up with,” Gossow said.He said the green “leaves” of the original tree had become frayed and TAMA had had a full year to spruce it up.He is now waiting for new greenery from Windhoek and if it is not available, The Arcade will remain treeless this season.