Staff Reporter
THE preservation of San languages, cultural heritage and indigenous knowledge remains essential to maintaining the identity of San communities, Deputy Minister in the Office of the Vice President Moses //Khumub has said.
Delivering the keynote address on behalf of Vice President Lucia Witbooi at the Annual San Cultural Festival in Tsumkwe, Otjozondjupa Region, //Khumub also highlighted opportunities for San communities to benefit from cultural tourism, arts and crafts, traditional foods and other cultural enterprises.
The festival, held under the theme “Celebrating Our Culture, Our Food, Our Heritage”, brought together San communities from Namibia, Botswana, Angola and South Africa to celebrate their cultural heritage and promote cultural exchange and regional cooperation.
//Khumub, who joined Otjozondjupa Governor John Julius //Khamuseb and Chiefs representing various San traditional communities during a community march in Tsumkwe, said culture represents identity, memory, knowledge and belonging.
“Our heritage is not simply something from the past; it is a living inheritance that connects generations and provides a foundation for the future,” he said.
He emphasised the need to document, teach and promote the everyday use of San languages, particularly among young people.
“Language carries a people’s history, identity and worldview,” //Khumub said, adding that preserving a language also preserves the knowledge and experiences of generations.
He said elders remain custodians of knowledge relating to traditional foods, medicines, the environment, stories, music and cultural practices, and called for greater opportunities for such knowledge to be transferred between generations.
Technology, he added, could assist in documenting and preserving San heritage, provided that such efforts are undertaken ethically and with the meaningful participation, consent and recognition of the communities concerned.
On economic development, //Khumub said San arts and crafts, traditional foods, music, dance, cultural performances and heritage tourism could create livelihood and entrepreneurial opportunities, particularly for women, youth and artisans.
He said San cultural products should be supported to access national, regional and international markets while protecting their authenticity, cultural meaning and community ownership.
Community-based cultural tourism could also allow visitors to experience San heritage while ensuring that communities receive meaningful and sustainable economic benefits, he said.
Speaking on the role of Government, //Khumub said the Division for Marginalised Communities within the Office of the Vice President provides a platform for Government to engage communities, listen to their concerns and promote greater inclusion in national development.
He said Government’s role was to create an enabling environment in which communities could lead and participate meaningfully in preserving, promoting and developing their cultural heritage.
The festival also honoured Founding Chief Tsamkxao #Oma Bobo of the Ju/hoan Traditional Authority, as well as Chiefs of San traditional authorities and departed San Chiefs whose leadership contributed to preserving San identity, culture and traditional governance.
Addressing young people at the festival, //Khumub encouraged them to embrace education, technology and new economic opportunities without abandoning their cultural identity.
“Your culture is your strength. Your language is your identity. Your heritage is your inheritance,” he said.
He encouraged young people to use modern technology to document the stories of elders, promote San languages, support cultural enterprises and share San heritage with the wider world.
“The future of San culture depends on today’s generation having the confidence to preserve it, live it and carry it forward,” he said.
//Khumub also highlighted the importance of partnerships in supporting language preservation, cultural documentation, intergenerational knowledge transfer, community-based tourism, youth and women’s entrepreneurship, artists and artisans, ethical research, protection of traditional knowledge and sustainable livelihoods.
He said such efforts should remain community-centred, participatory and respectful of the rights and priorities of San communities.
“The San heritage is an integral part of the cultural heritage of Namibia. When we preserve San culture, we strengthen the cultural diversity of our entire nation,” //Khumub said.
He said empowering San communities to participate meaningfully in social and economic development would contribute to strengthening Namibia as a whole.
Photos: Vice President of Namibia
