Kae MaÞunÿu-Tjiparuro
OTJIMATI – The Kavari brothers made a clean sweep at the 22nd Otjimari Mini Show, forerunner to the annual Epukiro Show, here on Saturday when their Brahman bulls were declared champions.
The champs of champions bulls were that of Komboro Kakujee Kavari in the first place with that of Steve Kavari runner up. Steve Kavari came first in the Brahman Bulls First Class category while Komboro Kakujee Kavari came first in the junior category. In the heifer division Tjaesa Hoveka’s was the champion with Nganjone Nganjone second.
In the goat division the Murangis swept the stakes with Adam’s Billy goat declared champion while in the ewe category Barak’s was declared the champion. In the sheep division, the champion Damara ram was that of Ipaha Tjikuzu and the ewe that of Kaurihongua Murangi. Youngsters Meta Kavari and Barak Murangi were the leading guiders in the first and second place respectively.
Having dispensed off national duties, the national clean-up campaign last Friday, it was on Saturday back to usual business for the villagers here in the Epukiro Constituency of Omaheke Region.
On first impression one would have thought the village must have been invaded by aliens by the hustle and bustle on the particular Saturday, only to realise that indeed villagers have converged for one of their highlights on its annual calendar, if not the highlight, a mini agricultural show. Now in its 22nd year, the show attracted farming villagers from adjacent villages and beyond to the constituency. The show has become an important event in the constituency and has traditionally been setting the tone for the constituency’s agricultural showpiece, the Epukiro Show, one of the first ever-agricultural trade fair in the Omaheke, if not in most communal areas. Such that today it boasts with eminent stud breeders such as Adam Murangi, Katjinduu Tjahuha, Sagarias Uanivi, Maniki Tjahuha, Darius Tjahuha, John Kavari, Benson Tjituka and Cecil Murangi.
The show attracted altogether 65 small stock and 35 big stock, predominantly from the village itself but with a sprinkling from surrounding villages and beyond. The show is an outflow of the government’s decision to give responsibility for the running of water points to communities. Otjimati farmers thus thought the show would be a means towards self-reliance in terms of a breakdown of water pump engine and in supplying engine oil. Only one year since its inception could not be held due to drought.
Various breeds were on display such as Brahman and Simbra among the big stock, Boer goat and Mountain Goat among the goats and Damara, Van Rooy and Damara in the sheep category. Various entrepreneurs and small businesses also exhibited, among them locally produced water lemon jam from locally harvested watermelons by Wezi Tjaronda, also from the village of Otjimati. The show was also a golden opportunity for kapana sellers who could not but have made a dime or two from the big turnout. The day wounded up with the popular Oviritje group, Ongoronomundu.