OKAKARARA – Okay, I know you didn’t believe me when I said I was going to that country somewhere in Asia, but it’s not my fault as I am still stuck at Home Affairs.
You can of course imagine all the things I am going through to get my passport and visa. After stopping at Home Affairs every other week in the hope of getting a visa without success.
I decided to wear my colour block tiki hakkies and put on that nice fitting ka dress I only wear to engagement parties and weddings. I was hoping that if I look like a million bucks and give a Princess Diana smile, I would get that green little book in record time.
Aikona, not even the nature of my job would make me more important than Tant Mina who sells vetkoekies on Shanghai Street. Those officials have a masker on their faces and don’t care whether you braai chicken on wheels, wash cars behind Single Quarter or you are that important economist at Bank of Namibia who speaks in Greek tongues about inflations and market fluctuations. I don’t blame those clerks; they are just doing their job.
The English idiom says don’t judge a book by its cover, but some people, né. They pretended to like you when you meet on the weekend and tonga-long at Tate Andreas ka braai in Shandumbala for hours about how they know you from back in the day when Tura looked like a dusty cloud when coming from the side of the city.
They make you spent your last pennies, while you know in your heart of hearts, there are only two things left in your fridge, red jam and a bottle of water.
Oktyabr’skoy Revolyutsii, you might be a far-fetched dream for now but Erari Ndihateja Matemba, Mongoro Yakamusuvise Otjeinya, also known as Okakarara is just a few hours’ drive away. This weekend is the Okakarara Trade Fair papa and if you are not here, you are missing out big time.
Don’t worry about kudus as long as you keep yourself in your baan, they won’t worry with you.
The only thing that might dishearten you is seeing cows eating from the garbage bins because there is literally no grass left.
Etoo, drought is really hitting the country hard in this part of the world, but a man – I mean a cow has gotta do what a cow has gotta do. So, if you come here and see a cow peeping through the window while you are sitting at a restaurant eating, don’t be surprised.
The people are very nice too. You can leave your cell phone at the table in a restaurant and go to the loo. Nobody will touch it. I am not saying that you should take a chance anyway because you never know if the two-finger ncinas have already left Windhoek for greener pastures. Must they hoeka follow us law-abiding citizens everywhere?
But don’t think this is a sleepy town where you can get away with small crimes. The gatas (police) are very awake here and it looks like the tjoekie is empty.
It’s just my observation from passing the police station where hardly any activity is taking place – at least from the outside. The common crime here is stealing cattle, but with the drought persevering and cows being so thin, they must be selling for peanuts, which would explain why the police might have more time to concentrate on maintaining peace and order here. I hope when you come here, you will behave yourself and not land in jail like a mampara. – Sorry Ngo!
By Magreth Nunuhe