Outapi Olufuko Festival Initiation March 1

Olufuko (from an

Oshiwambo The Ovambo () language is a dialect cluster spoken by the Ovambo people in southern Angola and northern Namibia, of which the written standards are Kwanyama and Ndonga. The native name for the language is ''Oshiwambo'' (also written ''Oshi ...

word meaning

wedding A wedding is a ceremony where two people are united in marriage. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes. Most wedding ceremonies involve an exchange of marriage vo ...

) is an annual festival held in

Outapi Outapi wa Nakafingo na Temba, also Outapi or Uutapi and Ombalantu, is a town in northern Namibia near the border with Angola situated northwest of Oshakati. It is the capital of Omusati region and the district capital of the Outapi electoral co ...

, Namibia. It was officially opened 23 August 2012 by

Sam Nujoma Samuel Shafiishuna Daniel Nujoma, (; born 12 May 1929) is a Namibian revolutionary, anti-apartheid activist and politician who served three terms as the first President of Namibia, from 1990 to 2005. Nujoma was a founding member and the first ...

, former founding President of the

Republic of Namibia Namibia (, ), officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in Southern Africa. Its western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Zambia and Angola to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and ea ...

. Outapi is a town in

Omusati Region Omusati ( ng, Mopane, after the dominant tree in the area) is one of the fourteen regions of Namibia, its capital is Outapi. The towns of Okahao, Oshikuku and Ruacana as well as the self-governed village Tsandi are situated in this region. , ...

in Namibia. Olufuko is a process where girls between the age of 15-20 are prepared for womanhood. This means they are taught how to do traditional chores at home such as pounding omahangu, cooking, cultivating and understanding the roles of men and women in society and recently the impact of HIV/AIDS, STDs and other illnesses in society. After Olufuko brides are expected to go back to school and finish school and not to get married immediately as it used to be done in the olden days. Several speakers at the Olufuko Official Opening Ceremony have used the occasion to urge all girls to go back to school and none of the girls were ever handed over to a man to get married after the initiation ceremony. People under the age of 16 are considered minors under the

Namibian Constitution The Constitution of Namibia is the supreme law of the Republic of Namibia. Adopted on 9 February 1990, a month prior to Namibia's independence from apartheid South Africa, it was written by an elected constituent assembly. Preamble "Whereas ...

Objectives

Among others, objectives of the festival are to: # Inform, educate and entertain with the view to appreciate and enhance traditional and cultural identity. # Create tourism opportunities. # Enhance the purpose of unity amongst our people. # Create awareness within the region through cultural, arts and agricultural activities. # Preserve and promote culture and tradition. # Strengthen the local and regional economy.

References

External links

* AllAfrica.com
Namibia: Olufuko Festival Attracts Thousands
* Outapi Town Council

Festivals in Namibia Cultural festivals in Namibia {{Namibia-stub