Oshikoto residents gathered throughout the week to celebrate Heritage Week in Omuthiya.
Chairperson of the event organising committee, Helao Ngonyofi said the event went very well as 95 per cent of the invited guests attended and the community enthusiastically participated in the indigenous games.
“Even though there were some challenges of the materials and sport equipment needed, our local artists found solutions,” said Ngonyofi.
She stated that the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture and Ministry of Sport, Youth and National Service’s Directorate of Sport in the Oshikoto Region will work hard on this heritage event to grow further and bigger in the future.
Local author Angula Ndjembo urged the public to honour their cultures.
“I want to urge the public, more especially the youth to learn their cultural norms and values, they should stop following the western cultures,” said Ndjembo.
Ndjembo said this week helped everyone look at their traditions and assess traditional norms and values on how it could uplift them.
Vendor Josephine Mwashindange said this week brought her joy and it reminded her of where she is coming from.
“This week really taught me to value my culture and it taught our children to respect people culture and our culture,” said Mwashindange.
She said that they however look like a lost nation as they are more leaned to the western world, but this week taught them to take their lost tradition back.
Nikodemus Amadhila thinks Heritage Week is, to educate the young people on how to preserve their cultures and how to understand its value and importance.
“I like how Namibian people like their cultures, people are eating the traditional food and they are playing their traditional games, that really shows commitment to their cultures,” Amadhila said.
He added: “I am happy that Omuthiya residents have shown commitment to their cultures. I just want to urge traditional leaders and spiritual leaders to at least give support so that the young people can acquire something. This is skill transfer,” said Amadhila.
Paulus Nafimane said cultural heritages are reminders for the new generation to know their tradition.
“We want more participants, we need children to socialise with elders and get the necessary knowledge. These past days helped to bring different cultures together as we have cultural diversity in Namibia,” he said.
Source: The Namibian Press Agency