Celebrating Namibia’s diversity

Understanding the role of culture, tradition and tribe
Teaching children about different traditions and cultures helps foster unity.
Nankali Kamwanga
  • 3 Months Ago
Namibia is a diverse country, boasting a rich variety of cultures and traditions.

Teaching children about Namibia's diversity helps foster awareness and acceptance of their fellow Namibians.

“It is important to teach children the difference between culture, different tribes and traditions because they all come from different backgrounds and have established ways of thinking about, saying and doing things," said Aimee Cloete, a primary school teacher.

“Children are very excited and interested to learn about different traditions, values and beliefs that they practice,” explained Rouchelle Van Rooi, a grade two teacher.

Although culture, tribe and tradition have their own distinct concepts, they are interconnected and evolve over time. The cultural landscape of Namibia has been shaped by migration, centuries of interactions and external influences.

The amalgamation of colonial history and traditional customs has resulted in a diverse array of traditions that are unique to Namibia.

Differences between Namibian cultures, tribe and traditions are found in their unique and connected meanings.

Tribe refers to a particular social group connected by blood ties, whereas culture refers to the wider social norms and behaviours.

On the other hand, tradition includes the practices and ceremonies that members of a community have carried down through the ages.

All of these elements come together to create Namibia's colourful society, which reflects the people's strength, diversity and connectivity.

“Knowing your culture and where you come from is extremely important to knowing who you are. To know your background can help you shape your future. Culture includes traditions and beliefs, and each tribe has their own traditions, so culture is a term that includes both tribe and traditions,” said Irene Nel, a Namibian life skills teacher.



Culture: "Culture is the arts elevated to a set of beliefs." - Thomas Clayton Wolfe

Essentially, culture is the collective ideas, practices, languages and creative output of a certain group of people.

Tribe: “Tribes make our lives better, and leading a tribe is the best life of all.” - Seth Godin

A tribe is a social community united by familial ties, a common language and cultural practices. There are several tribes in Namibia, and they all have unique customs and histories.

Tradition: “A love of tradition has never weakened a nation." - Winston Churchill

Tradition in a community refers to the values, habits and practices that have been passed down through the generations. The foundation of Namibian cultural identity and continuity are its traditions.

Cultural festivals are often used as platforms to celebrate traditional storytelling, dance and music.