VICE President Nangolo Mbumba officially opened the olufuko festival at Outapi in the Omusati region on Tuesday in the presence of founding President Sam Nujoma, who is its patron.
"This grand cultural festival is aimed at showcasing, informing, celebrating and educating the nation about the olufuko rite of passage, and other norms and practices of the Ambalantu people," Mbumba stated in his official opening address.
He said the last olufuko was held over 80 years ago before its reintroduction by the Omusati Regional Council, in conjunction with the Outapi Town Council and traditional authorities.
He also took cognisance of so many people criticising olufuko as promoting child marriages and promiscuous behaviour.
"As I always say, we need to embrace the positives from our cultural heritage, while shunning anti-progress and anti-revolutionary practices," emphasised Mbumba.
He thus believes that harmful and ancient cultural practices, such as the traditional marrying of underage girls, are not part of olufuko's aims, objectives and modus operandi. Mbumba then encouraged Namibians, as responsible citizens, to report to the police wherever they see regressive practices so that action can be taken against culprits.
Speaking at the same event, Nujoma stressed that the festival continues to grow and to attract a large number of visitors and exhibitors, despite the retrogressive efforts of its critics.
The presence of many people from all walks of life at the official opening of olufuko, he said, reinforces the organisers' genuine effort to restore cultural heritage, which was in the past forcibly removed and replaced with European traditions to assimilate indigenous children into Western culture. "Let me make it categorically clear that initiation is not marriage, but the rite of passage from childhood into womanhood or adulthood. We are mindful of our young girls, the initiates, who are taking part in this process," Nujoma added.
The Outapi Town Council is hosting olufuko for the seventh consecutive year. The festival started on Friday, and will end on 4 September.
- Nampa
