Namibia on NPR

I was listening to NPR this morning and they had a story about Namibia.  It is not very often that there is a story about Namibia unless someone famous went there, like when Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt went there back in 2006(?) to have their baby.

It was about how Namibia is getting local buy-in for conservation by having locally run conservancies.  Local communities protect the animals they once poached and encourage tourism.  The tourism money then is spent in that area.  I think this is a multi-part story so there should be more tomorrow.

Don't Be Afraid of Socialists

I had been visiting the Hilton (5 stars!) Sky View Bar and I was taking the elevator down to leave.  There was a nicely dressed man with a Socialist International badge/name tag next to me.

me:  Is there a convention in the hotel?
guy:  Yes, a meeting of the Socialist International.  Don't be afraid.
me:  I'm American.  I have to be afraid.
guy:  No, those old cliches are done.  Even the FBI is here.
me:  To check you guys out?
guy:  No, to discuss security issues…
me:  It's okay.  I was just playing.  Have fun.

Official Site for the Socialist International
Coverage of the SI Meeting in Windhoek, Mentions SWAPO

NAM 2011

Taxis are now N$8.

In the north, the first taxi driver I had told me to buckle up.  (Subsequently, most taxis told me the same.)  Guess the government has been cracking down with more checkpoints.  There have been a lot of accidents.  There was a terrible accident between Windhoek and Swakopmund.  The Namibian printed a picture of a bakkie that threw its passengers onto the road.  The picture showed the people lying on the road...

Money is still flowing.  Buildings and renovations are going up everywhere.  Unfortunately, they are building a hideous new museum adjacent to the old church in Windhoek (on the site of the controversial German statue that they moved.)

Where did all the China shops go?  I maybe saw one in downtown Windhoek.

I bought a pretty decent sized goat for N$500 in the north.

I don't know if I was out of practice, but I had a hell of a time crossing the street in Windhoek.  Maybe there is more traffic?

The combi rides now cost N$170 to get to the north from Windhoek.  They still don't queue…

Beer prices have gone up.  It is like N$12 to 15 for a dumpie in Windhoek.  It was N$12 for a big 750 ml Tafel in the north.  It was so tasty.

There is a 5 star Hilton in Windhoek now.  Even if you don't stay there, you can go to the sky view bar.  Nice.

There is a really good Owambo restaurant now in Katatura, Xwama.  You can get yourself some oshifima, oxuxwa, omalodu, etc.  Ough, iyaloo!

For those that know the Game Center in Oshakati.  It is growing.  The good news is that the Oshana bottle store is still there.  It has moved over a bit and is now better than ever.  THEY STILL HAVE CASTLE MILK STOUT! Iyaloo, nda pandula unene.  Onda hafa nai.

My tate is no longer a teacher.  He is now the Honorable Councillor of the Ongwediva Consituency.

And oshikundu still gives you strength.

Onamutai

I have always thought it embarrassing when you live in a place for so long and you seemingly never learn how to say its name correctly.  I totally accept some responsibility for this, but sometimes the deck is stacked against you.  Here is a little proof that the pronunciation of Onamutai is a moving target.  Here are two government signs that spell the village differently.  The one with the "y" in it is not correctly spelt, but you will hear people emphasize the "y" sound sometimes, especially when they are not from the village. 

The last picture shows a really incorrect spelling, but one that reflects more how I think it is pronounced in the village.  Anyway, what do I know.  The only thing that I do know is that when you are hitch hiking there, it adds a whole layer of difficulty to communication...

Onda hala okuya kOnamutai.  Oto i peni?  OnamutaYI!  Peni? Onamtai!  Peni?  OnaMUtai!  Ohhhh, OnamutaYIIIIII....

Onamutai is #1

 

New Music Videos from Namibia

Onda aluka kuNamibia nale.  Onda talelapo nookaume vange.  While there, we also worked on some new music videos.  This time I didn't do all the work, but helped Kinzzo learn how to make the music videos himself.  I hope to see a bunch of videos from him into the future.  Here are a couple of the best and the rest are on youtube...

I helped Kinzzo with this video, his first video that he edited.


With no help at all from me, Kinzzo's first video that he filmed and edited.


I filmed and edited this new video by DJ Rambo.


View all of the music videos from Onamutai and Northern Namibia.