Pinehas Nakaziko

WINDHOEK – The University of Namibia (Unam) last week celebrated its cultural festival under the theme, ‘Enhancing Diversity and Cultural Awareness’. 

The festival was held from August 15 to 18. Taking time off from their normal study schedules they enjoyed great outdoor entertainment and mingled sporting cultural attire, savouring traditional delicacies, indulging in traditional dances and having a ball at performances by local artists. The festival also saw international student groups networking and showcasing their diverse cultural artefacts at different campuses around the country. 

Andreas Mbago says the cultural festival at the university continues to promote diversity. He says the recognition of a common humanity is the first step in the celebration of students’ differences – differences that inform their cultures, values, minds, and all ways of being in the world.  President of the Student Representative Council (SRC) at the Unam main campus, Tuhafeni Kalola, says the festival itself, including the opening, was really remarkable as people from different backgrounds, be they students, staff members or members of the public, turned up to witness and share their cultures with one another. “I have witnessed culture diffusion whereby you find a person from another cultural background imitating what other people do [in] their cultures,” says Kalola. 

He adds that it’s very important to hold such a festival at school as it helps students understand others well and enhances connections even more. “What amazes me most also is the cultural food from different corners of the world, not just Namibia or Africa alone but the world at large, as we had overseas cultures like Chinese and others. This is diversity and we like it this way,” says Kalola.