NBL backtracks on ‘tribe’ advert, apologises
Namibia Breweries Limited (NBL) yesterday acted swiftly to pull a Tafel Lager advert which sparked outrage amongst some Namibians, who charged that it fed stereotypes about Nama people’s drinking habits.
The advertisement shows a man dressed in Nama attire with a beer in his hand, captioned “join the Tafel Tribe”.
Sima Luipert, an activist for reparation for the Nama and Ovaherero genocide, said wilful ignorance is used to entrench marginalisation.
“The idiot wearing the attire and NBL should make time for a lecture on the meaning of Nama attire. We are willing to guide them out of their ignorance. When you grow up as a child in a Nama household, you are taught which attire to wear when and how to conduct yourself in public,” she said.
“The attire is that of respectfulness, honour, resilience and rising against all odds. We know how those in political and economic power would like to see the Nama people. Yet they will never take away from the Nama people how we view ourselves. In fact, their malicious ignorance makes us even stronger in our resolve,” she said.
Apology demanded
Others called for an official apology, saying the caption “join the Tafel Tribe” can be interpreted as the "tribe that suips [drinks] the most”.
On Facebook, Sharon Markus said they still want an apology, even after the advertisement’s removal.
“We as the Nama tribe – no, not the ‘Tafel tribe’ - want a public apology. Do not associate our sacred and beautiful attire that we take so much pride in with alcohol ever again. We are not drunkards, nor are we alcoholics as you make it seem,” she said.
NBL corporate affairs manager Surihe Gaomas-Guchu issued an apology for the way the advert was interpreted.
“The rationale behind the post referring to the Tafel Lager Tribe is that we are a community of people loving the Tafel brand for its quality and strong Namibian roots,” she said.
“In this context, the word ‘tribe’ therefore refers to the Tafel Lager community, spanning across all Namibians above the legal drinking age, and not meant to single out a specific ethnic group. The love for the quality of the beverage unites all of us via the brand’s proudly, local Namibian roots and heritage. Tafel Lager encourages everyone to enjoy the festive season responsibly.
“The post has been removed with immediate effect from our social media platforms and we sincerely apologise for any inconvenience,” she said.
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The advertisement shows a man dressed in Nama attire with a beer in his hand, captioned “join the Tafel Tribe”.
Sima Luipert, an activist for reparation for the Nama and Ovaherero genocide, said wilful ignorance is used to entrench marginalisation.
“The idiot wearing the attire and NBL should make time for a lecture on the meaning of Nama attire. We are willing to guide them out of their ignorance. When you grow up as a child in a Nama household, you are taught which attire to wear when and how to conduct yourself in public,” she said.
“The attire is that of respectfulness, honour, resilience and rising against all odds. We know how those in political and economic power would like to see the Nama people. Yet they will never take away from the Nama people how we view ourselves. In fact, their malicious ignorance makes us even stronger in our resolve,” she said.
Apology demanded
Others called for an official apology, saying the caption “join the Tafel Tribe” can be interpreted as the "tribe that suips [drinks] the most”.
On Facebook, Sharon Markus said they still want an apology, even after the advertisement’s removal.
“We as the Nama tribe – no, not the ‘Tafel tribe’ - want a public apology. Do not associate our sacred and beautiful attire that we take so much pride in with alcohol ever again. We are not drunkards, nor are we alcoholics as you make it seem,” she said.
NBL corporate affairs manager Surihe Gaomas-Guchu issued an apology for the way the advert was interpreted.
“The rationale behind the post referring to the Tafel Lager Tribe is that we are a community of people loving the Tafel brand for its quality and strong Namibian roots,” she said.
“In this context, the word ‘tribe’ therefore refers to the Tafel Lager community, spanning across all Namibians above the legal drinking age, and not meant to single out a specific ethnic group. The love for the quality of the beverage unites all of us via the brand’s proudly, local Namibian roots and heritage. Tafel Lager encourages everyone to enjoy the festive season responsibly.
“The post has been removed with immediate effect from our social media platforms and we sincerely apologise for any inconvenience,” she said.
[email protected]
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