By Rinelda Mouton
The seventh annual Nama Cultural Festival will take place from 28 to 30 May at the Westdene Stadium in Keetmanshoop under the theme “Building a Unified System for Cultural Continuity”.
The festival brings together Nama communities from across the world to celebrate, preserve and promote their culture through music, dance, storytelling, cuisine, arts and crafts.
Organisers say the event has become an important platform for keeping Nama traditions alive while creating space for younger generations to reconnect with their heritage.
Festival organising committee chairperson Dirk Chileon Eigub said the event was born out of concerns over the growing loss of identity, language and traditions among Nama communities.
He said young people played a major role in establishing the festival after recognising the need for deliberate action to safeguard Nama heritage.
“This year is special because on the programme we will be launching the National Nama Anthem, the Khoekhoegowab 30 Second Game, and the display of the first ever Khoekhoegowab Interactive Language Booth. Visitors can look forward to panel discussions, live entertainment, and traditional cuisine, while the festival also creates a platform for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to showcase their products and services,” Eigub said.
“A cultural village, gospel concert, and traditional games are among the activities lined up, alongside dances and stalls with traditional food, medicine and artefacts.”
He said storytelling remains a key part of Nama culture as it teaches both young and old about their roles and responsibilities within society. Traditional dance performances will also form part of the celebrations throughout the festival.
“Traditional dances run throughout the festival. The Namastap dance was inscribed by UNESCO as an in- tangible heritage in need of urgent safeguarding.”
According to him: “Young men will be taught how to dance the Namastap in a culturally accepted way. This practice will be facilitated by elders who hold the knowledge of this indigenous dance. We will also be going through the process of how the //Haboben prepare their traditional hut, which is somewhat different from the rest of the Nama clans.”
The festival will also focus on encouraging intergenerational learning through youth bonfire discussions and activities at the cultural village. Organisers believe these platforms will help young people better appreciate their language, traditions and cultural identity.
“The youth bonfire discussions are platforms where young people can express themselves and share their understanding of what the culture means to them.”
He explained that the festival creates a space where intergenerational learning takes place.
Eigub believes that through platforms like the cultural village and the youth bonfire discussions, young people are educated about Nama traditions.
“At the festival, young people are encouraged to turn traditions into a lived culture and share experiences rather than only relying on what they read in books.
Eigub added that the festival continues to receive strong support from government leaders and traditional authorities. Delegations from Botswana and South Africa are also expected to attend this year’s event.
“We have received confirmation from large groups of guests from Botswana and South Africa, including many dignitaries who have con- firmed that they will be attending. We expect the attendance to be one of the biggest we have seen since our existence.”
