Nujoma blasts Olufuko critics
The former president has severely criticised those who are against the Olufuko cultural festival.
Founding President Sam Nujoma says the Olufuko cultural festival, which has been shunned by various detractors over the years, will always be hosted.
Nujoma, who was speaking at the fundraising event for this year's festival at Outapi on Saturday, assured those in attendance that Olufuko will continue to be practised.
Nujoma also expressed his disappointment towards fellow Africans who criticise Olufuko, saying it is worrisome as it seems like they are promoting cultural enslavement in society.
“Some quarters of our society feel that our culture, more especially Olufuko, is satanic and an uncivilised practice. These are the same people who do not want to think independently, but still rely on outdated western concepts that yesterday considered Africans as primitive without cultural values,” Nujoma said.
“Olufuko is here to stay.”
Olufuko is a process where girls between the ages of 15 and 20 are prepared for womanhood.
They go through an initiation process during which they are taught how to do traditional chores.
The girls are also made to understand the role men and women play in society. Nujoma said the festival should be acknowledged as a genuine effort to prevent the process of cultural enslavement and as a way to decolonise the mind. He argued that many countries in Africa are celebrating their cultures without fear of retribution. He said most societal problems the country is faced with are due to a disregard for cultural norms and values.
“Our cultural norms never allowed us to harm innocent people in the society. We were obliged to respect each other and treat our leaders and elders with the outmost respect. This trend of killing women including elderly people over their pension money must come to an end,” Nujoma said.
Nujoma also revealed that the Unam multi-disciplinary research centre has completed a comprehensive socio-cultural study of Olufuko before and after the advent of colonialism in Namibia.
Nujoma said this study, which is in line with the Namibian constitution and lessons learnt elsewhere, will give Namibians the opportunity to learn about the entire history of Olufuko and what it means for Namibians to embrace their traditions and cultural norms.
The fundraising event saw various stakeholders pledge over N$650 000 towards this year's festival, which is scheduled to take place from 24 August to 4 September.
KENYA KAMBOWE
Nujoma, who was speaking at the fundraising event for this year's festival at Outapi on Saturday, assured those in attendance that Olufuko will continue to be practised.
Nujoma also expressed his disappointment towards fellow Africans who criticise Olufuko, saying it is worrisome as it seems like they are promoting cultural enslavement in society.
“Some quarters of our society feel that our culture, more especially Olufuko, is satanic and an uncivilised practice. These are the same people who do not want to think independently, but still rely on outdated western concepts that yesterday considered Africans as primitive without cultural values,” Nujoma said.
“Olufuko is here to stay.”
Olufuko is a process where girls between the ages of 15 and 20 are prepared for womanhood.
They go through an initiation process during which they are taught how to do traditional chores.
The girls are also made to understand the role men and women play in society. Nujoma said the festival should be acknowledged as a genuine effort to prevent the process of cultural enslavement and as a way to decolonise the mind. He argued that many countries in Africa are celebrating their cultures without fear of retribution. He said most societal problems the country is faced with are due to a disregard for cultural norms and values.
“Our cultural norms never allowed us to harm innocent people in the society. We were obliged to respect each other and treat our leaders and elders with the outmost respect. This trend of killing women including elderly people over their pension money must come to an end,” Nujoma said.
Nujoma also revealed that the Unam multi-disciplinary research centre has completed a comprehensive socio-cultural study of Olufuko before and after the advent of colonialism in Namibia.
Nujoma said this study, which is in line with the Namibian constitution and lessons learnt elsewhere, will give Namibians the opportunity to learn about the entire history of Olufuko and what it means for Namibians to embrace their traditions and cultural norms.
The fundraising event saw various stakeholders pledge over N$650 000 towards this year's festival, which is scheduled to take place from 24 August to 4 September.
KENYA KAMBOWE
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