2016-05-09Staff Report 2 Onamungundo President Hage Geingob says the Omagongo Festival is one of the highlights of the Namibia’s cultural calendar and one of the mainstays of the nation’s cultural heritages. He said this during the well-attended Omagongo Festival held on Saturday at Ondonga Palace in Onamungundo village of Oshikoto Region. The festival is inspired by marula juice, a seasonal beverage derived from marula fruits. Generally the occasion is celebrated by respective Ovambo traditional authorities, but the Traditional Authority Council reached a consensus in 2011 so that the event is celebrated in unity and alternates between various traditional authorities. Traditional leaders from various ethnic groups, as well as members of parliament, senior government officials and members of the general public attended a colorful event at King Immanuel Elifas’ homestead. Cultural groups entertained at the audience to demonstrate the significance of Marula tree. According to Geingob, any event that has the power to bring together people from all walks of life is worthy of significance. “One pleasing aspect of this festival is the fact that it is celebrated annually, based on a rotational system amongst all the traditional authorities of the North. This ensures that none of our traditional leaders feel left out,” he said. President Geingob said culture is closely connected to personal identity and, therefore, creates the fundamental building blocks of one’s personality. Cultural rights are embedded in both the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and in the International Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, he noted. Because of its cultural significance, the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) officially listed the Omagongo Festival as one of the World’s Intangible Cultural Heritages in December 2015. This according to Geingob makes the 2016 event more special, as it is the first year it is being celebrated as such part of the world’s cultural heritage. “I would like to underscore the importance of an event, such as this one, in the context of nation-building. It is an example of people who have identified common customs and traditions that unite them rather than divide them and have endeavoured to celebrate these customs through the Omagongo Festival,” he said. Although the event is only hosted by Ovawambo traditional authorities, all Namibians are free to attend and participate, which according to the head of state was not possible or allowed during the colonial era. “Like us – people from the South – we were are not allowed come to this part of the country, but today I am excited to see my friend Chris Jacobie and his wife here. It is because we are independent and we are united. “I’m happy to lead a country where people celebrate their cultural heritage and have freedom of speech, including media freedom, as guarded by the Constitution. Namibia is ranked third in Africa and 17th in the world in terms of media freedom. I’m proud to be Namibian. I’m proud to be in a country where people can mingle freely,” Geingob said. The president, however, warned that as much as the celebration of ethnic heritages is important, Namibians should only use such aspects of culture for unity and not to promote tribalism and racism. Apart from promoting unity between various ethnic groups, the Omagongo Festival is also a platform for children and young people to learn traditional practices, thus enabling them to transmit valuable cultural practices and knowledge to future generations. “Many of us here today are living examples of what our cultures and traditions did for us when we were young. They helped us develop and mould our attitudes and characters to be productive, useful, and to pursue progressive lives,” he said. On the occasion President Geingob and First Lady Monica Geingos also donated some livestock to King Elifas. Last year’s Omagongo Festival was hosted by the Ombandja Traditional Authority. In 2017 the Uukwambi Traditional Authority will host the festival. 2016-05-09Staff Report 2
