Placido Hilukilwa
\nPREPARATIONS for this year\u2019s Omagongo Cultural Festival \u2013 which will take place this month at Ongandjera King Johannes Mupiya\u2019s palace in the Uukwandongo village in the Omusati Region \u2013 are progressing well.
\nThe festival takes place annually and is hosted by the eight traditional authorities of the Aawambo ethnic group on a rotational basis.
\nThe Ongandjera Traditional Authority is the host of this year\u2019s event.
\nMembers of the community have already contributed more than 2,000 litres of omagongo and the preparatory committee of the festival has collected over N$200 000 during a gala dinner held at Okahao this past Saturday where deputy prime minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndeitwah was the guest of honour..
\nThe second gala dinner takes place in the Roman Catholic hospital hall in Windhoek Thursday evening and prime minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila will deliver a keynote address.
\nThe Omagongo festival brings people together to socialize and to enjoy omagongo (a fermented marula juice).
\nFeast-goers are entertained by traditional dancers and the event serves as platform to exchange ideas and to transmit customary norms and traditions to the younger generation.
\nThe festival has now become a national event and is even recognized internationally as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity.
\n\u201cKing Mupiya has invited all traditional communities in Namibia and many have already confirmed their attendance,\u201d said Niilo Taapopi, the chairperson of the preparatory committee.
\nAccording to him, the festival will take place over two days. On the 26th there will be a social evening where experts will deliver speeches on customary norms. There will also be performances by traditional dancers and various musicians.
\nThe main event will take place on the 27th.
\nVice president Nangolo Mbumba will represent President Hage Geingob as the keynote speaker.
\nFounding president Sam Nujoma, who is the patron of the festival, will also deliver a speech.
\nThe Omusati region is hosting the Omagongo festival for the third consecutive year.
\nThe 2017 event took place at Chief Herman Iipumbu\u2019s residence at Onamega and the 2018 event was held at King Shikongo Taapopi\u2019s palace at Tsandi.
\nThe 2020 host will most likely be announced on 27 April.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Placido Hilukilwa PREPARATIONS for this year\u2019s Omagongo Cultural Festival \u2013 which will take place this month at Ongandjera King Johannes Mupiya\u2019s palace in the Uukwandongo village in the Omusati Region \u2013 are progressing well. The festival takes place annually and is hosted by the eight traditional authorities of the Aawambo ethnic group on a rotational …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":262837,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[24],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-262834","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n