Silence vs Words

The language we speak in silence can have more words and meaning than the one we speak in words.
Sometimes we "speak" better in silence. There are times when words are not worth to be spoken. When words will spoil everything you will attempt to communicate. And it will be very good to not attempt to say it. Is there any moment(s) you had to go through this? What was it and how did you solve it?

In My Silence

In my silence
There is beauty of words
For I speak of you

I might not say it
But I am in conversation
For there is too much
Too much to appreciate

I may act like I do not care
Oh! How much do I care
For you are special

In my silence, pick my words
Pick words of my God
For in you I see the hand of God

You may annoy me now & then
Thats part of the beauty of being you
May you remain you
Even though I wish to prune some

In my silence, choose the best
For in my eyes you are my best
I speak well of you to myself

In my silence
I miss you
I miss your warmth
I miss your humility

In my silence
There is hope
Hope for us
Hope for being us

In my silence
Hear a voice of hope
Hear a voice of tomorrow

In my silence
There is my strength
The strength to refine me

In my silence
Appreciate me
For you I strive for humility

In my silence
Pick the wisdom of my thoughts

OVANDU VA NDJAMBI, NOT HERERO

The idea of forming a forum for all the "Herero" speaking people refered to as the OVAHERERO YOUTH LEAGUE is a noble idea which needs nurturing. It needs efforts from all of us especially the sons and daughters of my people. We have to find ways and means which will not repel but attract members from all the tribal groups. We should also be careful, apply our minds to the project, and avoid unnecessary hindrances. One such problem I forsee is the choice of the name.

Over the years, there has been a lot of debate on the origion of the name HERERO as it has come to be noted and accepted by the "majority" of my people and others to refer to my people.
It is debatable as to the fact that this WAS the origional name. And also there are several theories which try to explain why we came to be known by the different names. So to use or try to make the other tribes to become sub-tribes of the Herero is not fare. It is a theory that tries to hide the origion of the other tribes. Which makes one think of the fact that the theory claims that there are Herero proper and Herero sub-groups!

I have come to accept that the right name that embraces all the groups could have been: OVANDU VA NDJAMBI KARUNGA. Or just "OVANDU".

This could be loosely and directly translated as "People of Ndjambi Karunga/Ndjambi Karunga's People".

Ndjambi here refers to God, the creator of all things and the all powerful. The belief is that we as a people came from or we were created by this God, Ndjambi. That is why we are his people.

Ovandu has the same meaning as BANTU or people.

There are several questions to be asked;
When did we start using the other names if we were origionally called by the name Herero?

Who was the first Paramount chief/King of my people before the divisions?

On the Ovambanderu side before Kahimemua, we had the following Kings;
Kandjeke-ua- Handura»
Nguvauva I »
Tjozohongo
Kavari

Kavari ua Tjiponda ngua enda no zongombe tji zaza ko mange ko meva omarandati kokure ke tandero enene kuku rikuriro ozongombe.

Kavari katjikombo tate tjaa tji haumbua ndende uananene ko murungu ua Tjozohongo nu eje uanana ngunda a pehina o central leadership jo muhoko.  In short he was leading a clan just like the Muundjuas and others.

Oral history has it that Tjozohongo lived way before the 1800s. We might also note that some of the leaders noted here might have lived from as early as the earliest noted Herero chiefs.

Kavari ka Tjikombo Tate ndjihaumbua ondende ua ta mo vita vio Vuena mo Ndekeremba... I can't remember the years, but it could have been around the 1600s... This means that Munjuku lived after him.... Oumbanderu started way before we came into central Namibia... King Tjozohongo died in Kaoko, the Mbanderus were there.. In Kaoko today there are oVambanderu families who remained there when most of my people migrated south into central Namibia.

Infact, Kavari lived from the early 1700 or late 1690s. These divisions came about when we moved from central africa like all the bantu people. What is clear is that the early leaders worked together in times of peace and war. The issues comes in when you want to reflect one tribe as the root of the other. There will be hamony if we recognise that coexistance is vital if we reject the the teaching which tries to cover the other side with the other. For me a wayforward should be to recognise that we came from Ndjambi.

We are all oVandu va Ndjambi Karunga, despite our current divisions into different clans. Thats what we should use. We should come up with common goals which will help resolve our challenges as a people.

OuMbanderu Muami: I am

PART 2: (Unedited Confession/Thoughts of a Son of OVANDU)

In me, and for me,  ouMbanderu is my way of life. If you take the time to observe me, you will see from the way I interract with people; the decisions I make and not make, my interpretation of the world, etc.
The sacrifices I make and the commitment I have in this way of life is like that of a religious person. For I am.

The values of my people are reflected in my thouhgts and actions. I may not be a true mirror, but to some extent I am.

I know that there is also a lot of influence from the western (or whiteman's) culture, and I might act in ways that seem to reject who I am. There is a fight to make me and you reject what you are, and make you adopt ways which are not yours, in order for you to feel "civilised".

You cannot be fully satisfied or happy by trying to be who or what you are not; by being artificial. You can lie to others but not to yourself. Deep down you will feel that you are faking it.

The best thing you can do is to help me re-discover the best of my people's culture. For there are a lot of solutions in it to the challenges we face today.

I might at times seem to be racist, tribalist, discriminatory, etc, this is a result of my socialisation. And a desire to defend who I am and what I believe in.

A man must be a man even when faced with personal danger. Thats what all great men and women did. Standing up for what they believed in. For there will be no change until you stand up for the change you want.

This allows one to stand up even if it is only YOU who has to stand up. Even if all around you do not see the need to stand with you.

Do not blame me for being who I am, for this is who I am.

I Miss You

The quietness of my environment
Makes me feel like an orphan
For I miss you

I wish I could smell the sent of your perfume
Hear the sound of your breath
Feel the softness of your skin
Flow with the natural curves Designed on you

I miss the language we speak
When quiet

The acts of voluntary kindness
The humble spirit in you
Reminds me of the gift
I have in you

The night retreats
Are trips into longliness
For empty space on our bed
Reminds me of your absence

I miss our fights
For they remind me
Of our uniqueness

May you remain mine
Even in your absense
For I am yours
Even in my absence

HERERO/NAMA GENOCIDE REPARATIONS

My brother, when I heared about this programme, I was supprised and asked myself these questions: Is the German government already making reparations? What is preventing them from apologising to the descendents of the genocide victims and the Namibian government? Why did the Namibian government allow the programme before clarity on the above questions? Is the programme enough to pay for all the wrongs committed my the thugs on my people? Should we accept the benefits of these piecemeal programme? How much should the Germans pay as reparations for the wrongs? How can we add preasure on the German government to stop the denials and accept what their forefathers did to my people?

OVANDU/OVANDU VA NDJAMBI ADVANCEMENT EFFORTS

Any contribution aimed at enhancing and advancing my people is welcome. I will support it. Thanks for the effort. I do not have a problem with the colors. I have a problem with the NAME. I am not confortable being refered to as HERERO. I will be happy if a "Neutral" name can be used that can include all the groups of my people. I.e.: OVANDU or OVANDU VA NDJAMBI. These two names were proposed in the past and I personally believe they are more appropriate since they are more inclusive and might help reduce the possible resistance.

REJECT WHO I AM?

If I have to hide or reject who I am as a person in order to be "civilised", if I have to strive to adopt other people's culture in order to be good, then I would have rejected my creator.

(Nandasora Ndjarakana)

MYAB CULTURE DAY & CONGRESS 2012

Pictures of our members and guests taken during the Culture day and congress held at Gantsi Community Hall, Botswana, on 3rd November 2012.

Mahongora Kavihuha's Address to Striking Teachers: Okahandja Liberation Tre

"My task is not think for you, but  to open your mind to help you think for yourself"

"The most stupid person on earth is the one who starts a journey, and stops and goes back when only a few kilometres. You will die in your way back".

"You canot fight for economic justice with justice".

"No one can fight for you as best as you can. And you have to be yourself to fight well".

Quotes from: TUN President: Mahongora Kavihuha
He is also the Secretary General of the umbrella union for the non-allied unions. TUCNA

Fwd: Ovaherero/Nama Genocide 1904-1907

OVAHERERO/NAMA GENOCIDE 1904-1907
06 November 2012
As I am writing this letter my tears are dropping on my computer and I am in deep serous of pain, hatred and anger. Genocide, War Crimes and crime against humanity are by definition the worst of international crimes and it was committed against Ovaherero, Nama and San people of Namibia and yet the German government and its people who commit the crimes against humanity have not officially accepted the responsibility of the 1904-1907 Genocide. The Namibian affected communities have demanded the German government for reparation and official recognition of the Namibian 1904-1907 Genocide which wiped out over 80 thousand people, despair many in neighboring countries such as South Africa and Botswana. The German government had ignored our demand and defied our plea for reparations and we the youth of the affected communities we are tired and we will no longer tolerate this for too long.

I am very much disturbed by the ongoing propaganda of the project so called ''German Special Initiative Programme for Genocide descendants". My question is, which Genocide? As the son of the affected communities by German genocide as long as there is no official Apology from the German government, I edge our people not to accept handouts without comprehending the implications waiting for us down the road. Ovaherero genocide committee and Paramount Chief Kuaima Riruako have filled the genocide case against German government and its peoples for reparation. Let us not contradict ourselves people. The German government will use all these benefits as weapons to silence us in court about our reparation demand. Our land was confiscated, stolen and, man, women and children were murdered through harsh means of poisoned water and gun shot. Women were beaten and raped; the genocide victim does not deserve three heifers or goats. That to me is sarcastic and insult to those who died fighting for our freedom. I rebuke on all leaders who are endorsing all these benefits and edge them to fight for what is right.

I call upon leaders of the affected genocide communities to inform the people of what is really happening, the communities are in darkness and they are being brain washed by political prostitution. Or should we conclude the silence towards the initiative means is well taken by our leaders? Analytically speaking, all those intellectuals in the committee are vocal, and if we haven't heard them in various medium of communication talking about this issue.
This is regrettably not the case, due to a deep seated sentiment of betrayal about the continued refusal of Germany, to bring to a dignified closure, the genocide perpetrated in the pursuit of a «lebensraum» for Germans in Namibia a century ago. Germany can no longer credibly claim that it respects African people in the light of the systemic systematic denial of its leaders across all political sensitivities to acknowledge the monumental wrong committed against Namibian African people from 1904-1907. The affected communities demand for An Apology by the Head-of-State and Government Germany to the Namibian and affected communities. On behalf of affected Namibian communities we Appeal for the 1904 Namibian Genocide Reparations. We will never surrender until our demand are meet,

By: ABIA UHONGORA-OVAHERERO GENOCIDE CAIMPAIGN

Motivational Speech: (College Students), Youth

City Life

We have come to a new environment. We might meet it with excitement because of all the new and many things here. Good and bad. All of these can help us either to achieve our goals or fail.

Goals

Having goals will be one of the starting points to help you survive this city environment. Goals help us to move in a certain direction. Some of the goals we had already set them from where we come from. It's a matter of refining them to fit the current trends. This is time to have them clearly outlined. They should be used as a road to follow. We cannot start moving before we choose a road to follow.

As we set goals, we should not forget our background. Most of us come from financially struggling families, which have sacrificed a lot help reach the stage we have reached.

 

Career opportunities

During your first year at tertiary institution, it is the time to explore more on your career path. I do not want you to be frustrated individuals because of choosing a career you do not want. You should choose a career which fits well with your personality and interests.

 

Lectures/Classes

Often times because of the "freedom" that comes with being a college student, this can lead laziness. There will be limited supervision, for your work. You might not be forced to attend classes. Attending lessons should be your number one priority. This will ensure that you do not miss important parts like explanations for assignments, projects, tests/examinations and course outlines.

 

Know your Lecturer

We should have a professional relationship with our tutors/lecturers. This will help us to ask for clarification when necessary. They can be a crucial factor in your performance. Most college/university students fail because of attending classes and also failing to listen to key points from the lecture.

Be aware of such things.

 

However we should be careful. We should make sure that the relationship remains professional. There have been cases where students and or lecturers took advantage of this arrangement to gain favors, e.g., sex for marks.

 

Social life during studies

As young people, fun is good. But it has been appropriate fun. We need to choose the right activities which will not drain your energy. If possible choose activities which will help you achieve your goals.

 

 

Freedom

I have to warn you that you have more freedom now than what you had in the past. This can help us become or develop into the young adult we should be. It might also be bad if abused. E.g.:-Cohabitation, drinking, etc. These are things we could do because no one is there to closing monitor your moves.

New Friends

The type of friends you choose will influence you to succeed or fail. We need to choose friends who could help us achieve our goals. And in most cases it becomes more beneficial if our friends have similar goals to what we have. This will help us prevent being derailed from the course of life we wish to achieve.

 

Conclusion

Focus on your goals. Whatever course you choose whatever path you choose or take, will determine your future. It all depends on how much you invest in your future NOW.  We say "your life is in your hands". Take action so that you do not blame anyone if things go wrong.

GUIDELINES(For Panelists) FOR MYAB-CULTURE DAY DEBATE 2012

MYAB CULTURE DAY (& Congress) Saturday, 3rd November 2012-Gantsi Community Hall, GANTSI, Botswana

THEME: BELIEFS, RELIGION & CULTURE: RESOLVING THE CONFLICTS?

GUIDELINES
The organisation, based on the theme indicated above, will be hosting a panel discussion. The purpose of these guidelines is to create the frame or limits of the discussion.

We appreciate the fact that the issue(s) covered in this theme are everyday issues which are taking place in our community. We also appreciate the fact that issues of faith are highly sensitive and can turn emotional. Some may ask if we as MYAB are ready/have the capacity to handle such a discussion. We will take this as a challenge we all have to face. We cannot run away from issues like these as they are issues that can make us relevent as an organisation.

With the discussion, we wish to try and respond to questions such as the following;
1. What is culture?
2. What is religion?
3. Where do the above two concepts meet?
4. What is the difference and similarities between the new religions and the culture/beliefs of our community?
5. Beyond tolerance; what discourse do we need to fight fundamentalism?
Other issues;
6. How has the obove affected the way our people live today in relation to social ills such as; drunkardness, family breakdown, behaviour, etc.

The biger picture should be on building and developing our community, not deviding it. Let us not forget the objectives of the organisation. One in mind is that MYAB was formed to "foster social goal of living together.

Thank you.

Nandasora Ndjarakana
MYAB-National Organising Secretary

http://mbanderuyouthbotswana.webs.com

Thoughts of a Pan Africanist?

Above all, I hold the belief that not all things African are bad. I acknowledge that centuries of all forms of exploitation and manipulation by the westerners has done a lot of damage to Africa and the Africans. Currently, the world set-up in all forms is not a fair affair to the blackman. The whiteman's world is sparkling because of the pains of Africa and the Africans.

Battle of the Mind

"Liberate the minds of men and ultimately you will liberate the bodies of men." Marcus Garvey

The battle ground now is the mind. In order to better control the african, we are being mentally manipulated by the whiteman's machinery. We have been made to reject all that is African. We have been made to believe that all that is western is the best; western democracy, culture, economic system, etc.

This has created an african who sees everything african as worthless unless it is linked to the western culture and ways.

All these makes us feel as worthless individuals who are not aware of where he is coming from and does not know where he is headed to, rejects who he was and is, and trying very hard to adopt and accept all that is western. In the process, we get a person who has lost what he is suppose to be and cannot become what he has been made to wish to be.
"The whiteman has succeeded in subduing the world by forcing everybody to think his way. The white man's propaganda has made him the master of the world. And those who have come in contact with it and accepted it have become his slaves". Marcus Garvey

Fashion & Cosmetics

This is one area where we have been brainwashed to believe that the black skin is not good enough. We see our african brothers and sisters trying very hard to improve the way we look by applying all kinds of chemicals to our skin to try and make it "lighter".
You find a brother or sister with two types of skin shades. The face appearing different from the neck and arms like they are artificial.

In the process, we have brought upon ourselves skin conditions which have in some instances led to cancer of the skin.

Media

The media is what has been used as a tool to inprint all the western culture in our minds. Media houses like, CNN, BBC WORLD, MSCN have showered us with all the negative images of Africa and the africans. All propaganda and blasphemy has landed upon us as a people.

Religion

Religion has also been used to control the african. I have personally noticed that africans show a lot of "adherence" to christianity and Islam more than all the other races of the world. We have been made to believe that we did not believe in God until the colonizers came to Africa.

Conflicts

As long as there is conflict between our african brothers, progress will be difficult to accomplish. We must trieve to fight all that causes conflicts between us as a people in order to help improve our condition as africans.

We are faced with problems which can be overcome such as poverty, sicknesses, lawlessness, loss of our african culture, to mention but a few.

It is only when we realise the real war that we could find the right tactics to fight it.
We should strieve for wisdom, avoid idiocy and fight mental slavery with all that which we have.

How naive some of our Academic Doctors can be- A rejoinder to Dr. Peggy Gabo Ntseane’s Research Paper

By Mr. Moses Ndiriva Kandjou*

This paper is in support of Penestos Kaikahora Ua Kanbato’s attempt to show the simplicity and poor analytic skills of a research paper authored by a certain Dr. Peggy Gabo Ntseane entitled “Cultural dimensions of sexuality: Empowerment challenge for HIV/AIDS prevention in Botswana”,www.unesco.org/education/uie/pdf/Ntseane.pdf which attempted to address HIV/AIDS issues in Botswana. (Mmegi, Tuesday, 17 April 2012). In this paper, Dr. Ntseane deals with what she calls Cultures that encourage the spread of HIV/AIDS and reverse government’s attempt to fight the scourge. In her paper, Dr. Ntseane mentioned my people, the ‘Baherero’in a bad light, misinterpret my traditions and insults me and my people. I feel compelled to give her a piece of my mind as well and give her one or two free lessons. As a student of History, I would like to begin by laying down the foundation to my rejoinder with a brief historical analysis of my people, and their experiences.

The noun ‘Baherero’ or‘Herero’ is used in some academic circles and many forums to refer to all groups of people who speak similar languages or dialects of the same Language known to the outsiders as ‘Herero’. In Botswana these groups include the Ovambanderu and Ovaherero, who fled from German colonialism in Namibia around 1896-1907. These groups of people settled in different parts of Botswana, including Ngamiland, Boteti, Makopong, Omaweneno, Tsabong, Gabane, Lentswe-le-tau, and Mahalapye among others. As a people who had fled under unbearable conditions, who were scattered and settled in alien communities, who arrived tied, humiliated, hungry and thirsty as a result of fighting a more mightier, well equipped than them enemy, and the most ruthless imperialist thugs of our history, from the onset they became a tool of ridicule and insults, and a laughing stock to many of the so-called main-stream Tswanas.

 

 

At their arrival, some tswana groups saw them as lesser beings and wanted to subjugate them. A good example is the Batawana Kingdom where a good number of our people fled. As Thomas Tlou put it, “The question of how to govern the immigrates soon arose, Tawana royals wanting them distributed among their wards to increase their own following, and perhaps, turn some into clients”. (A History of Ngamiland……… page 93). However, they were saved by Kgosi Sekgoma Letsholathebe who saw the danger of doing so, as he was at loggerheads with the royals who wanted Mathiba to replace him as kgosi. Instead Sekgoma gave the Newcomers their own Kgotlas and autonomy from the Batawana Royal Dikgosana. The Herero and Mbanderu Chiefs reported directly to Sekgoma Letsholathebe, and this didn’t go well with many Batawana Royals. They became hostile to our people and were given names like Matamma and other derogatory terms. Many of our traditions were seen as backward; some of our foods unknown to the Tswana were ridiculed and seen as dirt. Insults, lies, ridicules and tongue lashes were the order of the day. When I grew up in Ngamiland, I remember that Herero and Mbanderu boys were ridiculed and shunned upon because they were circumcised unlike the other groups. They would say “dilo tse di pindilweng tse”, translated “these castrated things”… sometimes we would be told that we smell ngondivi, a type of butter made from cattle milk. Anything that our people did differently from the other groups was an evil. Our women were insulted in many ways. Stories were created to insult our females. I would like to assume Ngamiland was just a microcosm of all the other communities in which our people found themselves. Many other stories can be found in many Herero-Mbanderu communities all over Botswana.

But, as we grew up, we interacted with other communities, and the world became more civil, many of these things evaporated with education and knowing one another as communities. The younger generations became more accommodative and got to know each other better. The derogatory stories became minimal.

After so many years, a new school of thought is developing from people who call themselves scholarly researchers, one of them being Dr. Peggy Gabo Ntseane an academic doctor in the Adult Education department of the University of Botswana, my centre of learning. As mentioned earlier, the Doctor authored a paper entitled “Cultural dimensions of sexuality: Empowerment challenge for HIV/AIDS prevention in Botswana”. In this paper, which was presented at an international HIV/AIDS Seminar in Chiangmai, Thailand, Dr. Ntseane brings forward what she perceives as cultural practises from some Botswana communities which encourage the spread of HIV/AIDS, and among them is a story of my people. She claims that “the Baherero have a unique sexual practice traditionally associated with the belief that ‘for every member of the clan who dies, there must be Otusira or’ replacement’.”(Page 8). She goes on to claim that the night before the burial there is free unprotected sexual intercourse festival among a group of chosen relatives to replace the deceased.

This is not news to my ears, I once heard such nonsensical stories, but it never crossed my mind that, a whole academic doctor would come up with such story and claim to have researched. This made me to begin questioning the research methodologies used by the learned Scholar. What surprise me about this research paper, by a learned scholar, presented before an international gathering, are the research methodology and her choice of informants. Her sources are unknown and not even mentioned by their age as done for the other groups in the same research paper. The doctor chose to use funny tittles like ‘One female youth’, ‘another said’. Uhu! Thaakaa! Is this the work of an academic doctor? I don’t know whether this was a deliberate omission to protect her informants, or she didn’t have informants at all. With her display of lack of knowledge in the ‘Herero’ language, as shown by her failure to know what the word Otusira means, there is a high likelihood that the learned doctor might have picked some people from the streets who claimed to know our people when in fact they had very little knowledge or were hell bent on ridiculing us. If not, one is forced to believe the doctor’s research methodologies were doctored to fit her poor hypothesis and situation, to help her present a ‘scholarly’ paper before an international gathering. She cared less because to her the people she was writing about were a lesser people and had very little to tell about themselves, they are savages, barbaric, and all they know is sex. I believe a seasoned researcher, of an academic Doctor’s position, would know that the choice of informants is a very crucial aspect in research.

Though I am not an academic Doctor and won’t claim heavenly knowledge in Research, my little knowledge in research informs me of the different research methods visa vie the type of information one wants to acquire. One thing that I came across in research circles is anthropological research. Some information is not easy to get or prove otherwise from a people unless you live among them, studies them over a certain period of time, and experience what they do. I think Dr. Ntseane could have got better information on this topic through anthropological research. My question to the learned doctor is; did you take time to go to a ‘Herero’ funeral to take first hand information? If yes, how many such funerals did you attend? My supervisor, during my forth year History Research at UB, Dr. Kofi Darkwah informed me that as a researcher, you can’t risk relying on only 1 informant, or source of information to judge a whole community. A research must consult several sources to prove his or her information. If she did not attend any funeral(s); what informed the Doctor that what her informants told her was true?

My other assumption is that population studies would help to inform in this regard. If every deceased member of the ‘Herero’ community is replaced, then the population of the ‘Herero’ will have increased and surpassed some groups, as we are the only people who practice this. What do the censuses inform the Doctor about the ‘Herero’ population as compared to other communities? Furthermore, with the current situations and statistics of HIV/AIDS in Botswana, if indeed this practice is true, the ‘Herero’ will be among the most affected. What do the HIV/AIDS statistics inform the Doctor about the effects of HIV/AIDS among the ‘Herero’? A learned scholar would think of these possibilities and use such to get strong information to back her paper.

We don’t owe any one an explanation as to what happens at our funerals, but it is public knowledge that we give our departed relatives a great deal of respect and mourning. However, let me pinpoint that, almost all the ‘Hereros’are relatives. This means when the news of death spread, we converge in large numbers to bid farewell to our relative. This means to avoid accommodation crises and bothering the close relatives when we are suppose to bring help to the family, we have devised a strategy for everyone to bring along their camping equipment. Otusira were such equipment and of recent they have been replaced by tents. We may not know what happens inside the camps at night, just like in any gathering, but it is not our tradition to turn our funerals in to mating festivals as Dr. Ntseane put it. Our tradition is that, during the mourning period, before and after the funeral our females are given time to mourn. They converge in a house and give respect to the departed. In the past, our mourning periods, especially of elderly people in society, men in particularly could take months. Relatives would camp at the deceased’s homestead and mourn till such a time that they will feel they have mourned enough and have done all the necessary arrangement and traditional rituals. But the ‘replacement’ was never part of our ritual. However, the mourning process could not mean life has stopped. Other activities will continue to take place including relationships and marriage. Sometimes, some people would fall pregnant at their own will during this period. Not that it was a traditional must to do so. I believe at my age if this was true, I would have had the pleasure to partake in some of the festival. But up to my late 30s, I have never been invited to any, yet my people die time and again. The Dr. got it all wrong.

Dr Ntseane has demonstrated a great deal of disregard and hatred on my people. In her paper, when talking about the other ethnic groups like Bangwato and Bakalanga she demonstrates respect and humility and refers to their education to young people as ‘sexual education’, but when it comes to my people she puts it as ‘sex education’. I would like to believe the two are different. When talking about the Baherero she claims, “Sex education…is also offered to young people by grandparents…. For girls it starts after her first menstrual period. The girl is confined to the room for a week where grandparents tell her about sex, womanhood and how to ensure male sexual pleasure”. When talking about the kalanga in the same paper, the Doctor says, “Both the family and societal norms are in place to socialise, regulate and control sexual behaviour of members. For instance, grandmothers start engaging in sexual conversations (note that here it’s not sex conversations) with girls from the age of 15…… discussions usually center on the areas such as potential sex partners, sex and health issues, and … when to say no to sex.” (Page 5). My point is when talking about other ethnic groups Dr. Ntseane shows respect, but when talking about the ‘Baherero’, she is disrespectful and paints a picture of a careless, disorganised and promiscuous community. She depicts us as people without morals only obsessed with sex. People, who know no boundaries of hygiene, respect for their bodies and sexual morality. I would say, she paints a picture of an animal kingdom where our young ladies are taught nothing but how to satisfy their male counterparts. She has conclusions about us, and she puts them on paper, pretending it’s a research that should be trusted, and even feeds the garbage to an international forum. And she wants this unpalatable and fabricated fairytales to earn her recognition as a great researcher and Scholar. This is pathetic and sickening.

Ntseane goes ahead and claims that our people encourage unprotected sex. “As one female youth put it ‘we are told by our grandparents and male sex partners that sex from Moherero to Moherero should be unprotected……’”this is a blue lie and disrespectful. Like Kambato said, we are a morally upright people and highly educated just like any other ethnic group. We have among ourselves people in high positions of NACA, Medical Doctors and former PS in the Ministry of Health, who I think could shed light to our communities on these issues. Even in History there have never been such practises. Among our people, we believe in and still encourage cross-cousin marriage and we are not apologetic about it. However, our arranged marriages are not forced marriages as the likes of Dr. Ntseane may want people to believe. And mind you, our traditions encourage morality and no sex before marriage, though in this era like any other people, such practices maybe ignored by the new generations.

This work is shameful and pathetic, to come from the pen of an Academic Doctor who is trusted with the minds of the youth of this nation. It doesn’t take a researcher to notice the simplistic nature of the Doctor’s paper. The paper is an insult to my people and to the University of Botswana. The paper has no footnotes as a research paper should be and like I mentioned earlier, the informants are unknown, which leaves one to wonder if indeed this is a scholarly work or the creation of an ‘armchair researcher’.

To address this issue further and give the public the benefit of a debate, I challenge Dr. Peggy Gabo Ntseane to a public debate. Let the pen and keyboard roll and if she wants it, a panel discussion will do. Besides that, we demand a public apology from Dr. Ntseane, on paper and on Radio and National Television, failing which; we shall engage the University of Botswana and other authorities. I rest my pen and keyboard for now.

*Mr. Moses Ndiriva Kandjou is former Secretary for Herero-Mbanderu Student Association (HEMSA) at UB, and former Mbanderu Youth Association of Botswana (MYAB) Secretary for Culture. He is currently BOSETU Chairperson for Bobirwa Region and sits in the Education, Recruitment and Training Committee of Bosetu. Mr. Kandjou is also Teacher of History at Matshekge Hill School. He writes in his personal capacity.

A blatant intellectual lie by an intellectual (Otusira)

By; Penestos Kaikahora Ua Kambato

Let me address a misconception that has been peddled by one Dr Peggy Gabo Ntseane in her article titled (Cultural Dimensions of Sexuality: Empowerment Challenges for HIV/AIDS Prevention in Botswana (2004). www.unesco.org/education/uie/pdf/Ntseane.pdf This article is true reflection of the deficiencies in our systems that allow for minorities culture to be downtrodden by the well of communities. In the article in question the author, without thorough considerations of the damage her article may cause to the Ovaherero’s/Baherero’s dignity, wrote the following on page 8:

“The Baherero ethnic group have a unique sexual practice traditionally associated with the belief that ‘for every member of the clan who dies, there must be Otusira or ‘replacement.’ The night before a burial there will be an all night memorial service at the bereaved family’s home to thank the ancestors’ spirits for the life of the deceased and to request for a replacement. However, while the all night service is on, an identified small group of girls from the extended family of the deceased will be available for unprotected sexual encounters with relevant extended-family male members. This is done with the hope that one of the girls will conceive to replace the deceased.”

The nation and the world at large is informed that this information is unfounded and malicious in nature. To set the record straight Otusira is not a translation of ‘replacement’ as the author contends, instead Otusira is a plural of Orusira which means ‘a mosquito net’ as far as I understand my mother language. One can go in his or her wildest expectation to think that Otusira is a true translation of ‘replacement’ only if he/she is informed by the desire to derogate the group in question. Otusira/Orusira was used as camping suit to provide accommodation at the funeral given that our funerals are held in rural areas. The article in question was an opinion piece and not founded on evidence provided for scholarly examination. Surprisingly Dr Peggy Gabo Ntseane as she would prefer to be addressed never went to any of our funerals to witness the event given the fact that she is a seasoned researcher who understand the ethics of research. We have our people dying fortnightly; doing that would not harm her any how since she never indicated that such sexual activities are conducted in clandestine forums. In fact witnessing that would add value to her chauvinistic article had she had an intention to be professional.

Dr Ntseane must understand that our culture has never practiced such activities before and will not practice that in the near future. We are a people of integrity and dignity; that is why we have worked so hard to protect our culture in an environment that was not conducive for its survival. In that we will not let unfounded and malicious allegations reverse our courage. We have gone through many trials and tribulations, some of them so atrocious for the conscience of humanity, through stereotypes meant to belittle us but we managed to emerge. In the modern world our children have gone to school and learned everything accorded to every student including HIV/AIDS education. To say that our youth engage in the so called practice of Otusira is a direct insult to efforts made by the government to educate us up to at least the JC (form 3) level.    

Research ethics discourage unethical and unsound researches characterized by fabrication and falsification. Given the pure fact that Dr Ntseane is a seasoned researcher, I find it cynically impudent for her to produce and take pride in a research which reflects the views of two people whom she did not even bother to acknowledge for their input. Cultural issues are sensitive in nature and require due diligence especially on sexual matter. The Dr in question never expressed such diligence given the fact that her sources on the Ovaherero issue are just two girls (out of about 20 000 Herero in Botswana) whom I suspect were sourced from the peripheries to suit her pre-meditated conclusion. Her research would perhaps hold more water if she included elders as they are rightful authorities to speak on behalf of culture. In my view when conducting the so called research she had a pre determined conclusion or stereotype that forced her to fabricate and peddle lies that she presented to the world in writing and orally in Thailand. This hypothesis is based on the fact that two girls can make a culture or a practice by two can not be declared cultural. Anyone with a critical mind can witness this in paragraph three where she states the following:

“Another finding from this ethnic group is that one message from the traditional sex education emphasized during traditional religious ceremonies is that HIV/AIDS is incurable because it does not originate from their culture. It is also stressed that sexual activities should be confined to the ethnic group because traditional medicine, spirituality and spirits of the deceased ancestor’s blessings are in place to prevent and cure sexually transmitted disease. As one female youth put it, “we are told by our grand parents and male sex partners that sex from Moherero to Moherero should be unprotected because you can not be infected with the HIV virus.” In agreement another said: “In the urban areas we use condoms with boyfriends from other ethnic groups but with a Moherero boyfriend or cousins in Namibia I enjoy real sex because they will not accept a condom.”

To set the record straight sex educations never suffice at our traditional religious ceremonies unless the author saw them in the cloud of cuckoo land. Our traditional religious ceremonies signal the commemoration of our fore fathers and war veterans not the fabricated barbaric sexual ceremonies as the Dr in question suggest. We are also not in possession of any traditional medicine or spirits that cure STIs except only for circumcision that has been scientifically proved to reduce the risk of HIV infection by about 60 percent in men. Of late assistant minister of health Hon. Gaotlhaetse Matlhabaphiri applauded our people or air for low HIV prevalence due to our cultural practice of circumcision at least Dr Peggy Gabo Ntseane would have alluded to that as an ethical researcher. All that the Dr in question presented was a bunch of unprecedented set of lies informed by the spirit and desire to derogate the ‘other’. For the last bolded part which I am even ashamed to quote, I want to inform the public that as a people we recognize the significance of condom use and we understand the implications of unprotected heterosexual intercourse both in Botswana and Namibia.

 

Publications of this nature suggest adverse intellectual pestilence requiring the attention of intellectual sanatoriums. They are a true reflection of tribalism in its systematic and cosmetic form. The proponent of these publications systematically chose to insult the disadvantaged, vulnerable and excluded groups based on the assumption that they are ill-equipped to rebut such publications. This approach is evident in Joseph Conrad’s book (Heart of Darkness, 1792) in which he portrayed Africans as savages with no language other than grunts and with no "other occupations besides merging into the evil forest or materializing out of it simply to plague. In the article in question the Ovaherero/Baherero are portrayed as savages with no regard to modernity and sexual morality peddled by their desire to conceive as many children as possible, in that they are oblivious of the implications of voracious unprotected heterosexual proclivities.

The Ovaherero/Baherero are here to stay and stay they will even if the learned try by all means to shake them off their firm cultural ground. It is clearly evident that those who lack the understanding of our culture will choose to drag it on the mud and spat on it as they please but they should be warned that truth will prevail over their evil endeavors and we will remain attached to our culture as we did before.


*This article also appeared on Sunday Standard Newspaper on 19-04-2012 under the tittle "

A blatant deception by an intellectual"

www.sundaystandard.info/article.php?NewsID=13711&GroupID=5

 

I am an African Child

Written & presented by:
Martha Nangolo
(Grade 11, Okahandja Secondary School)

Born with a skin the color of chocolate
Bright, brilliant and articulate
Strong and bold, I'm gifted
Talented enough to be the best
I am an African child

Often the target of pity
My future is not confined to charity
Give me the gift of a lifetime
Give me a dream, a door of opportunity
I will thrive
I am an African child

Do not hide my fault
Show me my wrong
I am like any other
Teach me to dream
And I will become
I am an African child

I am the daughter of the soil
Rich in texture and content
Full of potential for a better tomorrow
Teach me discipline, teach me character, and teach me hard work
Teach me to think like the star within me
I am an African child

I can be extra-ordinary
Call me Nangolo Martha the inventor
Give me a library with books
Give me a scrap yard and discarded electronics
Give me a broken bicycle
Plus the freedom to be me
And I will build you a windmill
I am an African child

We are the new generation
Not afraid to be us
Uniquely gifted, black and talented
Shinning like the stars we are

We are the children of Africa
Making the best of us
Yes!
I am an African child

(Presented at a Day of the African Child Ceremony at Okahandja Secondary School, Okahandja, Namibia on the 16th June 2012).

TheQueen

You are to me a gift from above
A reason to continue living
You are a moon of my night
May you continue to give me light
The thought of you inspires hope
Hope to be
Hope to contimue fighting
May our love continue growing
May it become like aged wine
Thanks for the two gifts in our life
Thank you for the motherly love
We will make mistakes in our journey
May they serve as a reminder that we are human
May we appreciate the positive
May we celebrate the positive
For they give us the reason to go on
May you be mine for a lifetime
May you be mine forever

I Will Wait for My Chance

How often do we tend to keep a gradge against those who "wronged" us in one way or another. When someone hurts us, especially those close to us, we should note that it could be due to a weakness they have. Let us not forget that they could have also put up with a weakness we have without them becoming over agitated..