THE young girls going through the initiation ceremony at olufuko are not being married off, said most speakers at the official opening of the olufuko cultural festival on Tuesday at Outapi in the Omusati region.
Some churches and women’s rights campaigners have in the past denounced the revival of the olufuko initiation rites for girls, and urged people to distance themselves from the festival. The festival, which was revived in 2012, has been criticised as being a platform for objectifying young women and girls.
Vice president Nangolo Mbumba officially opened the olufuko festival, in the presence of former President Sam Nujoma, who is the festival’s patron.
Nujoma said the initiation was the rite of passage from childhood into womanhood or adulthood. He said festival organisers were mindful of the young girls taking part in the process, and many of them will become future leaders.
“I urge all of you who are taking part in olufuko and our youth to take your education seriously. Marriage will come after you have finished your studies. Olufuko is only here to prepare you as a person so that you will become a responsible and hardworking citizen who is fully aware of her cultural norms and values,” he stated.
Mbumba said the festival aimed to showcase, inform, celebrate and educate people about the olufuko rite of passage, and other norms and practices of the Ambalantu people.
The last olufuko was held over 80 years ago before its revival by the Omusati Regional Council in 2012, he said, adding that indigenous cultures of Namibia have in the past been subordinated to Western culture.
As a result, Mbumba said: “Many of us view anything resembling our cultures as negative and un-Christian. Many people are criticising olufuko as promoting child marriages and promiscuous behaviour. But we need to embrace the positives from our cultural heritage, while shunning anti-progress and anti-revolutionary practices”.
Mbumba said Olufuko encouraged people to appreciate that the girls who participate in the olufuko initiation remain in school, and are inspired to become productive members of society.
“Through the practice and celebration of our culture, we are able to restore our dignity, which has been robbed from us by colonialism,” he continued.
Swapo secretary general Sophia Shaningwa, who also expressed support for the festival, said if she had not gone into exile to fight for independence, she too would have gone through the initiation process.
Shaningwa said olufuko was a way for young girls to be educated and informed about their culture.
The olufuko festival ends next Tuesday.
The University of Namibia has done a study on the festival, titled ‘Practice and Perspectives of the Female Initiation Rite’.
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