Who Would Have Thought?

by Shivanne Emmarelda Christians (Namibia)

Making a local connection Namibia

Namibia, an incredibly culture-rich country with a small population. I have lived here for all my life and never once bothered to really understand the different cultures individually, even though I have friends belonging to the different culture groups. So when I graduated high school I decided to plan a trip with my friends cross country to experience the different cultures. We drove from the coast, Swakopmund, to the North so we can start there and go all the way to the South. We arrived in the Caprivi region, and let me just say what a wonderful sight this region is in the summer months. Greenery all over, rivers flowing, waterfalls, so many fruits in season, colorful flowers blooming all over, a true paradise for any botanist. My friend took us to her village along the Zambezi River and we stayed there for a few nights. Her family were so welcoming and prepared a big feast for us, consisting of goat meat, maize meal and pumpkin, just to name a few ingredients, which were farmed next to their homestead, of course. The melons were also in season and we could not get enough of it, they even gave us a few to take on our road trip. On our first night, the Headman of the village told us the story of how his family settled there, my friend's cousins even showed us the traditional dance routine and we were allowed to join in. From the Caprivi Region we drove to Wamboland, where one will find most of the Oshiwambo people living. My cousin's girlfriend took us to her family's village and introduced us to their way of life. Her grandmother prepared Oshifima (stiff porridge), Mopane worms and Oshikandela (a drinking yoghurt). We were a bit hesitant to eat the Mopane worms, but to decline someone's food after they have welcomed you in their house is very impolite. The Mopane worms are a true Namibian delicacy, rich in nutrients and flavor, and I would definitely eat it again. The Oshiwambo culture have a traditional dance routine as well and we were taught it. Three days later we arrived in Rehoboth, home to the Baster culture (my culture). We stayed at my grandmother's house and this time I was in charge of the itinerary. We went to Oanob Dam, where we enjoyed water sports and a relaxing sun-downer. When we went home my grandmother had prepared a curry Afval pot, freshly baked bread and ginger beer, her specialty. She even sells the beer to local stores and is widely known in Rehoboth for her ginger beer. We left Rehoboth for Keetmanshoop, where one is most likely to learn about the Nama culture. We stayed at my maternal grandparents and I once again took charge of our activities and learning excursions. My grandfather took us to the History Musuem, where we learned about the sub-cultures of the Nama people and where they settled after Segregation, the genocide waged by the German Empire against 3 Namibian groups, including the Namas and how the Namas regrouped after the genocide. to round our day off my grandparents prepared a braai for us and my grandmother made her special potato salad. We headed back to the coast and before going back home we made a stop in Khorixas, home to the Damara people. The Damara and Nama people are often confused for one another, and even though their languages are quite similar and they share some traditional rituals, they do have their differences. For example, the Damara women wear a headdress pointed at the sides with their traditional attire and their dresses are puffier than that of Nama women. Heading home I realized how much one can learn about a group of people through the foods they prepare. For years I have been eating all these Namibian dishes without knowing just how much thought goes into each dish and how much it means to the people. Who would have thought you didn't need to travel to learn about the people in your country, you just need to understand the food and you'll know the people. Nonetheless, I am incredibly grateful to have experienced my people's cultures through travel.