Martin Endjala
Founding President Sam Nujoma has called on Namibians to uphold their culture and never abandon their values to simply conform to Western cultures.
“We must learn from our past to inform our future because a nation without culture is like a tree without roots,” he said.
He said that Namibians should resolve, among other things, to preserve their history, and write the country’s present account.
The Founding Father also advocated for the erasure of distortions about the African people from the literature.
“We should do historical research, interpret and record the historical and contemporary knowledge into new conceptions of social reality,” Nujoma said.
The Founding President was speaking in Outapi during the Official opening of the 9th Edition of the Annual Olufuko Cultural Festival held on Tuesday.
Based on the collection of local and regional comparative research data conducted by cultural experts, it was concluded that the objectives of severe censorship and the banning of African cultural practices, such as Olufuko, were a soft means by Europeans to exercise power and control over the Africans.
This was done through the process of ‘taming or civilizing’ Africans by replacing their moral compass with that of Europeans under the guise of Christianity, while the aim was to control the Africans through the process of cultural enslavement.
Nujoma questioned why Namibia should now listen to the same people who were saying circumcision is a primitive and pagan African custom but are now telling young people to get circumcised.
He emphasised that Namibia must not give up on celebrating its culture against the new onslaught of social and cultural imperialism but let culture be one of the important tools the country can use to undo the legacy of centuries of colonialism in Africa.
“We should not be apologetic to do away with cultural enslavement. Let us, therefore, continue to host Olufuko as a cultural rite as sanctioned within Chapter 3 of the Namibian Constitution. As I always say: A people united, striving to achieve a common good for all members of society, will always emerge victorious,” Nujoma said.
The Founding Father urged the Olufuko Preparatory Committee not to divert from the original aims and objectives of the festival which have the potential to re-invigorate the African traditional moral compass that has been partially destroyed by the era of colonialism.
Nujoma said that religion should not exclude African values, adding that the two can co-exist and there can be a common ground of mutual understanding as it is granted by the Namibian Constitution for every citizen to observe, practice and exercise his or her religion and culture.
This year, 45 girls are partaking in the Olufuko initiation, at their own accord and their parents.
Nujoma urged the participants in the initiation rituals to finish their education as Olufuko is only there to help them to become responsible citizens who are aware of their cultural norms and values.
He also explained that the festival is not promoting child marriages as some have alleged, but is instead intended to practice and promote sexual purity and promotion of sexual abstinence among young girls.
“Let me once again make it categorically clear that initiation is not marriage but the rite of passage for girls from childhood to adulthood,” Nujoma explained.
The Founding Father said the traditional rite of passage of young girls into womanhood is also an opportunity to discuss contemporary social issues that affect them, such as teenage pregnancy.
