RUNDU - The Ngandu Music and Arts Festival, scheduled to take place next weekend at the river town of Rundu, is the first of its kind and will provide a platform for business owners and artists to promote their products, services and talents. 
Ngandu means crocodile in Kavango languages. “We will have stalls and exhibition space to present the products or services of our participants,” Hafeni Namwira, one of the organisers, told Entertainment Now!

Namwira, a former radio personality explained that the idea is to bring the youths in the two Kavango regions and Namibians at large together to showcase and celebrate local music, sports, food, drinks and other forms of creative arts. 
“The goal is for this festival to be an annual event that will entrust all the planning, controlling and execution of the event to the Kavango youth through an intern mentorship empowerment programme. Additionally, a percentage of the proceeds from the event will be given to a charity organisation selected by the community,” Namwira noted.

The organisers say the event is unique because for the first time they are looking at capitalising on the great and diverse creative nature in Kavango East and West. 

“All of this with be portrayed in every aspect of the festival, from the food to the exhibitions to the music and most importantly the people. The art aspect of the festival has to be emphasised because for the longest time it has gone unnoticed and undervalued and this largely portrays who and what the two Kavango regions stand for and how they blend with the rest of Namibia,” said Namwira.

“From sketch artists to painters, to the renowned woodcarvers of Kavango, this is a platform created for them to show everyone their art form along with every other prominent art form,” he continued.
Apart from a great artist line-up, festival goers can expect a great array of activities including good food consisting of local and international cuisine.

“There will also be fun sports activities for all age groups and outstanding service from all our exhibitors,” he added.