15 Apr 2020

 Every Sunday of every Easter Holidays, Ovambanderu tribe from Namibia and Botswana converge at Dhaoga settlement some few kilometres from Maun to celebrate their annual historic event dubbed Otjingirine in a bid to promote and preserve their culture.

In an interview, Kgosi Manuel Nguvauva of Ovambanderu in the Ngamiland explained that they had to cancel the event as they had to observe the extreme social distancing regulation.

As such, he said the community had agreed to instead donate the monies accrued for the event towards the COVID-19 relief fund.

Although he could not disclose the amount, he stressed that they saw the need to play their part and support the government to deal with the threat posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Otjingrine event is held at the graveyard of the tribe’s forefathers and chiefs. As such Kgosi Nguvauva explained that its significance was to celebrate the brave efforts of their heroes and heroines who perished during the war with colonisers.

The event, he said, meant a lot to the community as it gave them an opportunity to reflect on the past.

Ovambanderu escaped war in Namibia and settled in Botswana and the majority reside in the north western part of Botswana. END