Maria David & Placido Hilukilwa
THIS weekend, all roads lead to the historic Omhedi village near the border town of Helao Nafidi, Ohangwena Region, where the Annual Omaongo Festival is taking place at the Palace of Queen Martha Mwadinomho Kristian Nelumbu of Oukwanyama.
The festivities kick off Friday with cultural performances and presentations by experts on a wide range of culture-related topics.
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah will deliver the keynote address during the main event on Saturday.
Senior traditional councillor Erkana Ndume, the Chairperson of the Omaongo Festival preparatory committee said: “The feast is ready. All are welcome to join us.”
Senior Headman Ndume said that besides the President and her entourage, Queen Nelumbu has also invited all traditional communities in Namibia.
The annual event brings people together to socialize and to enjoy omaongo (omagongo in Oshindonga), which is a moderately alcoholic marula wine. It is produced exclusively by women who use a tip of a cattle horn to squeeze the marula fruit. The resultant juice is placed in a clay pot and left to ferment naturally for two to five days before consumption.
At the initial stages of the Omaongo Season, the wine is mostly for domestic consumption. It is also shared free of charge with neighbours or any adult member of the community.
The Season lasts from February and reaches its zenith with the hosting of the festival, normally around the end April or the beginning of May.
Traditionally, each of the eight traditional communities of Ovawambo hosted its own festival.
However, the festivities were unified after independence on the initiative of Founding President Sam Nujoma.
The unified Omaongo Festival is hosted by the eight Ovawambo Traditional Authorities on a rotational basis, but it has attained the status of a national event and is recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity.
