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extraordinary Namibian stories. publishing. content generation. content marketing. print. film. digital.
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are compiled by Venture Media’s content team, in partnership with Tribefire Studios and freelance contributors.
THE SECRET LIVES OF WILD ANIMALS
and also
by Tribefire Studios
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contents
Table of
CONTENT IS FIRE 26
01
And collaboration is the future. FlyWestair Magazine is a compilation of Namibian stories sourced by Venture Media that entertain and surprise with interesting topics, introducing you to a new generation of trendsetters and Namibian influencers.
WELCOME ON BOARD
04
Read more about travelling with FlyWestair – a scheduled passenger service by Namibian-owned Westair, the first private company to achieve this historic milestone.
WHAT’S HAPPENING
09
Update your calendar with 2020’s must-attend events. This month we share some tips on what to keep busy with while the world outside has been put on pause. Send us your event or online excitement suggestions to fly@venture.com.na and we will be sure to feature it in upcoming issues.
TWO BEARDS AND A DASH OF SAINT
11
Two Beards Coffee Roasters brewed their way onto the Namibian artisanal coffee scene in 2016. Find out more about this father-son coffee duo located in Swakopmund.
ECONOMIC PULSE 41
12
Economic researchers from IJG discuss emotional markets during times of turmoil in the Namibia Trade Network’s Economic Pulse, a monthly series on finance and the economy.
CELEBRATING 30 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE
15
Mo Money, Mo Namibia - discover Namibia’s currency journey through eras of colonialism to the ultimate establishment of our very own dollar.
ART-IST
17
Neo soul with elements of house - Diolini steps into her own rhythm as a key player in the Namibian music scene.
0 MINUTES WITH LOCAL TASTE MAKERS
1
18
Charene Labuschagne has a tête-à-tête with Zach Kauraisa - the dancing, photographing, event planning, content creating, visual artist with a law degree to boot
LOOKING GLOBAL 25 2
Global issues with local impact. Seasoned Namibian journalist Willie Olivier looks at the everexpanding urban sprawl and the accompanying threats of urbanisation.
20
ROYAL HUSTLERS
23
99FM’s Royal Hustlers series interviews James Mnyupe, MD of Allan Gray Namibia
THE TRIBE
25
#TheTribeExclusive chats to Lioness, the multifaceted music powerhouse who is ready for Global Domination
PHOTOGRAPHY FEATURE
17 26
Conceptual fashion photography and the search for identity through the lens of Tuva Wolf of TW Studio.
NO SPACE FOR FEAR
31
Kirsty Watermeyer explores the danger of letting fear rule your life during this tumultuous time.
FASHION FIERCE
32
From here to Hollywood, Ennio Hamutenya turns the world on its head with his inspired, and now iconic, fashion range.
MASTER YOUR DESTINY
36
Guts, Camera, Action. Luis Munana on going against the grain and trusting your own instincts.
FOODIES
39
Featured eateries, coffee hubs, bars and hotspots for foodies to fall in love with.
JAFFLE TIME
36
41
The ultimate foodie, Christie Keulder, takes us on a trip down memory lane to rediscover the deliciousness that is the Jaffle.
DID YOU KNOW - BAOBABS
43
Willie Olivier gathers interesting facts about the central northern regions of Namibia.
A WHOLE COUNTRY TO LOOK FORWARD TO
47
Remy The Quill looks forward to more Namibian sunsets, vast sceneries and wonders to explore outside the four walls of lockdown.
GREEN ECONOMY
49
As the world around us slows down “virtual reality” is growing faster than ever. Discover more about ICT Services with Green Enterprise Solutions.
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FlyWestair Welcome on Board our virtual journey. We hope that you will enjoy the FlyWestair Magazine whether you read it on your mobile phone, your laptop or your tablet. The team at Venture Media has taken great care to make this edition entertaining and fun. Now you can even listen to the stories when you are on the go. See the FlyWestair Magazine Facebook page for interesting features that may entertain you and even entice you to join in the creative fun. While we wait for the world to return to the new normal we want to stay in touch with you and make sure that when we take off again, you will be the first to know. At Westair we are still serving our clients with emergency services such as the regular daily DHL flights delivering parcels to the rest of the world. Throughout the lockdown our mercy and repatriation flights have served Namibians and we are on stand-by to help those who need emergency interventions.
4
Welcome… online!
That first flight to Ondangwa
Launching our very own in-flight magazine
Here’s a look back to some of our favourite #flywestair moments over the past 11 months.
The “Meet the Real Force behind Westair” series
That moment when we let Namibia know that we would be flying to Cape Town!
Landing at Cape Town International for the very first time.
Welcome our most important This fantastic image of passengers, red carpet included of photographer Martin Amushendje course! posing with his cover image on a flight with us. He was on his way to his honeymoon!
The really fun activation we had at Grove Mall in Windhoek
This awesome cover photo shoot for This rainbow moment captured in the Independence Issue (she flew Ondangwa. down all the way from Ondangwa with that amazing jumpsuit after we found her on Instagram!) 5
Ondangwa - Toivo ya Toivo
Eros Airport
Oranjemund
W! NE Cape Town 6
NE W
!
now fl yi weekd n g every ay a nd Sund ays
FLIGHT SCHEDULE: Please note that our Cape Town flights are temporarily suspended until the COVID-19 travel restrictions are lifted. Stay informed on our social media platforms. FROM
TO
DAYS
DEPARTURE
ARRIVAL
Eros Windhoek
Ondangwa - Toivo Ya Toivo
Mon-Fri
06:30
07:30
Ondangwa - Toivo Ya Toivo
Eros Windhoek
Mon-Fri
08:00
09:00
Eros Windhoek
Ondangwa - Toivo Ya Toivo
Mon-Fri
17:45
18:45
Ondangwa - Toivo Ya Toivo
Eros Windhoek
Mon-Fri
19:15
20:15
Eros Windhoek
Ondangwa - Toivo Ya Toivo
Sun
17:00
18:00
Ondangwa - Toivo Ya Toivo
Eros Windhoek
Sun
18:30
19:30
Eros Windhoek
Oranjemund
Mon-Fri
09:30
10:40
Oranjemund
Cape Town
Mon-Fri
11:15
12:30
Cape Town
Oranjemund
Mon-Fri
14:20
15:30
Oranjemund
Eros Windhoek
Mon-Fri
16:00
17:10
Eros Windhoek
Oranjemund
Sun
13:00
14:10
Oranjemund
Cape Town
Sun
14:40
15:55
Cape Town
Oranjemund
Sun
16:50
18:00
Oranjemund
Eros Windhoek
Sun
18:30
19:40
Schedule as per date of going to print. Please check the FlyWestair website to stay updated on flight destinations, routes and schedules.
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2020
What’s happening. “Not much”, is the answer. That’s right, lockdown might already feel like a distant memory, but we’re still social distancing – restricting our movement a little while longer, just until we’re all in the clear. As we take this time to adjust, may we suggest just one last Netflix binge and banana bread baking? For good measure! Because as we’ve come to realise, everything is pretty unpredictable. And the time to live your best life (at home) is now.
Netflix Recommendations
@dudewithsign
Tiger King: This limited docuseries is a rollercoaster of emotion. And has skyrocketed to everyone’s watch lists, let alone Instagram captions. Expect tigers, lions and a certain Carrol Baskin among various other questionable characters. It’s educational and insightful about the dodgy exotic big cats trade in the US, but most of all it’s feel-good. That’s if, like me, redneck reality programs make you feel a lot better about yourself. What else makes you feel good? You’re absolutely right – young Brad Pitt. In Legends of the Fall we see him periodically for 2 hours and 12 minutes, with shoulder-length golden locks, on horseback. It’s magical. But also very, very sad. When Colonel Ludlow (Anthony Hopkins) boycotts his ranking to raise his three sons in Montana’s countryside, they collectively navigate betrayal, history, love, nature and war. This is not a drill! Lord of the Rings – in all it’s three-part, 9.5 hour glory – is on Netflix. And regardless of whether you’ve seen it before or not, watching it is definitely a good idea. It is outlandishly iconic, with great reason. Vicariously reliving the thrilling adventures, cinematography and Orlando Bloom is probably just what you need.
Feel-Good Instagram Accounts To Follow @nathanwpylestrangeplanet – endless comics of tiny blue “beings” exposing the strange quirks that make us human. @dudewithsign – Seth speaks for the people with his matter-of-fact cardboard signs that have got us all nodding and reposting. This couple @howfarfromhome got married in Namibia earlier this year. And they’re still posting pictures from their fairytale trip. We’re not complaining! Endless inspiration for your next journey.
The Best COVID-19 Themed Songs Despite the dark times, humour has brought us all together over the past months. The southern African music scene rolled out some of the best impromptu collaborations and creations, making us all feel a little closer and more understood, or simply making us laugh. Here are a couple of our favourites, available on IGTV:
@howfarfromhome
Radioraps & Francois van Coke - Hey!!! Jy moet by jou huis bly!! Gerard van Rooyen @gymnastgerard Bye Bye, Mein Herr. Various artists @karen_zoid Friends Don’t Let Friends Panic Buy! 9
WEATHERMEN & CO
10
TWO BEARDS AND A DASH OF SAINT
C
offee is a hell of a drug. Whether it’s as simple as helping you wake up in the morning or in extreme cases allows you to be less like the 2007 Britney Spears, we all have our reasons for sipping on that cup of black gold. It is no surprise that it competes with tea as the world’s most consumed beverage. Wait, actually it is a surprise, but let’s put the bias against tea aside for now. As far as world trends go, Namibia was a relatively late bloomer with regard to artisanal coffee roasters. A trend that has been blossoming all over the world for quite some time. First, there was Slowtown Coffee Roasters and not long afterwards Two Beards Coffee Roasters brewed their way onto the scene in Namibia. The bearded father and son duo (guess where the roastery’s name originates) of Roy and Mark Stanton established Two Beards in 2016 in the popular tourist town of Swakopmund.
altitude, soil and good farming practices. After sourcing the best green coffee beans and receiving them in hessian sacks filled with 60 kilogram each, the art and science of the roaster come in. Green coffee beans have a beany, grassy aroma but when roasted, it explodes into hundreds of different aroma and flavour compounds. The level of roasting affects the flavour profile that the beans will deliver once brewed. Boss-level roaster skills that Mark and Roy have mastered to perfection.
As far as world trends go, Namibia was a relatively late bloomer with regard to artisanal coffee roasters.
It all began when Roy purchased a roaster to pursue his passion for roasting coffee. Starting at home and without formal training, father and son brewed their first batch of Guatemala Antigua Pulcal on the 21 March 2012. Loads of trial and error, reading and research eventually gave them enough experience to perfect their roasts. This led to bagging their first commercial clients: local Swakopmund businesses that wanted individual and unique signature blends of coffee. As with most artisanal goods the quality of the final product is highly dependent on the raw materials used, and coffee is no exception. The quality of coffee beans is subject to a variety of factors that include climate,
Two Beards offers the best in single-origin coffee. It is 100% Arabica and sourced from the world’s best coffee-producing regions such as Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Kenya and Rwanda. Try them on their own or as part of one of the perfectly balanced blends that Two Beards produces. Two Beards and a Saint Gourmet Coffee Bar and Bistro, situated on the same premises as the roastery, is where you can enjoy a wide selection of coffees and some delicious gourmet, café-style dishes. The mastermind in the kitchen responsible for the gastronomic menu is Radley who is otherwise known as the Saint.
While the Bistro is closed during the current lockdown period, if you’re in need of a coffee fix, Two Beards is registered as an essential business and now delivers their freshly roasted coffee beans countrywide. Contact them at coffee@2beardscoffee.com.na for orders. Two Beards Coffee Roasters and Two Beards and a Saint Gourmet Coffee Bar and Bistro is situated at Unit 6 Eastern Concepts, 5 Einstein Street, Swakopmund. Le Roux van Schalkwyk Listen to the audio version of this story 11
What is the
post-lockdown path?
W
e are living in unprecedented times. Every article in this magazine should start with this line. To many of us “normal” freedoms such as a coffee at Slowtown are but a distant memory, a relic of a time when we carelessly invaded each other’s personal space by shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries. Okay, it’s probably not quite that bad, but freedom was heavily cut back in an effort to “flatten the curve” and prevent the COVID-19 pandemic from overwhelming the healthcare system. The COVID-19 virus is highly transmissible and has proven to be deadly. While it is not as fatal as SARS or Ebola, it is in the ease of transmission and asymptomatic early stage carriers that the real danger lies. It means that a lot more of us will eventually get COVID-19, with some experts suggesting that it could be with us permanently, moving across the globe in the same way as the common flu already does. Scientists are still figuring out how contagious and lethal the virus is and these unknowns have resulted in governments implementing what amounts to a global lockdown on a scale never seen before in our era of globalisation. Attempts to mitigate the spread of the virus started with travel restrictions, then limitations to the transportation of goods and finally lockdowns. The intention is to minimise human interaction and thus the transmission of the virus. The severity of these lockdowns and restrictions of movement and trade differ from country to country. Sweden’s approach has
12
been quite relaxed, with limited social distancing measures and most things still functioning on a rather normal level, while South Africa imposed relatively harsh lockdowns and severely restricted trade and services. The direct consequence of attempts to mitigate the spread of the virus is an economic crisis the magnitude of which was last seen during the great depression of the early 1930s. In its April World Economic Outlook the IMF projected a global contraction of 3%, far worse than the 0.1% contraction recorded in 2009 as a result of the Global Financial Crisis. A contraction of 3% translates into a global output loss of around US$ 9 trillion, an amount equivalent to a whole years’ worth of activity from the world’s 152 smallest economies (out of 186 countries). And if the latest economic data from the US and Europe are anything to go by, the global contraction may end up being even larger. So where does this leave Namibia? For some years now IJG has warned that the Namibian government’s ability to deal with external shocks was limited due to pro-cyclical policy between 2010 and 2015 leading to large budget deficits and ballooning government debt. Poor economic growth and a depressed business climate over the last four years further eroded fiscal capacity. Thus, the Namibian economic climate and government toolbox were not ideally positioned for any external shocks, let alone a shock of the magnitude which we are facing now. Indeed, IJG’s forecasts now point to a contraction in real GDP of between 5.5% and 11.5% in 2020, depending on the severity of the lockdowns going forward. This constitutes the largest step backward in our 40 year dataset.
Economic Pulse
Susan Nel Pohtography
At the time of writing (May) Namibia is transitioning into the second wave of COVID-19, possibly in the near future. It early stages of opening up the economy by relaxing lockdown means that the population will be healthier as livelihoods regulations. We estimate that the economic damage done will not have deteriorated too much. In as much as health thus far corresponds to the upper end (5.5%) of our forecast and poverty are linked, so too must be the healthcare and contraction range. Due to the very few cases economic actions taken during this time. of COVID-19 recorded here to date, Namibians Namibia has been handed a free ticket to get have been spared the harsh lockdowns being out of jail as the spread of the virus has been Without going limited and no deaths have been recorded. experienced in South Africa. Without going too deeply into the soundness of the Namibian too deeply into At the same time global data and knowledge statistics, we regard the relaxation of the the virus is accumulating daily. This the soundness about lockdown as a major positive. means that when a second wave does of the Namibian break, Namibian officials will be in a much The reason we believe that relaxation of the better position to make decisions and take statistics, we lockdown at this time is positive is simple: appropriate actions than what most leaders in regard the most businesses, the country’s employers, are the Northern Hemisphere. It would therefore able to recover from the effects of the first 35 be a shame to ignore this lifeline and do relaxation of days of lockdown. Balance sheet strength has irreversible damage to the economy. Namibia the lockdown been impaired, but not beyond repair. Further is on a better path than most, it may just be severe lockdowns are sure to result in an necessary to increase flexibility and open up as a major exponential increase in business bankruptcies even more quickly at this time. positive. which would in turn lead to a major increase in unemployment and deterioration in overall Eric van Zyl wellbeing in Namibia. If one accepts that health Eric van Zyl is the head of research at IJG, an and poverty are inextricably linked, it becomes obvious established Namibian financial services market that deepening poverty should be guarded against just leader. IJG believes in tailoring their services as healthcare capacity needs to be ramped up as poverty to a client’s personal and business needs. For more information, visit www.ijg.net. results in poorer health. It is therefore highly detrimental to cause major economic damage, and the negative results thereof, before we have even started to climb “the curve”. Relaxing the lockdown before permanent economic damage is done will allow Namibia to better deal with a highly likely
To sign up for the Economic Pulse newsletter, send an email to: daleen@venture.com.na www.namibiatradedirectory.com
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Susan Nel Pohtography
Celebrating 30 Years of Independence
MO MONEY MO NAMIBIA
S
ince the flag of Imperial Germany was raised on Namibian soil in 1884, the country not only had two colonial masters but also a number of different currencies before the Namibia Dollar was introduced in 1993.
Considering that more than 60% of Namibian imports are from South Africa, being pegged to the rand does have advantages such as price stability. Furthermore, the rand acts as a shock absorber to the Namibian economy: due to the buffer effect of the significantly larger South African economy, major changes in the global market are not felt as hard because the Common Monetary Area links the Namibia dollar to the rand.
When Germany proclaimed its newly acquired colony of German South West Africa in 1884, the German South-West African mark became the legal tender. After the colony’s capitulation to the Union Defence The members of the Common Monetary Area (CMA) are Force in 1915 South Africa took over administration of the Namibia, South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini (formerly country and issued a temporary currency – the South West Swaziland). The monetary union is allied to the South African African mark. It was used from 1916 until 1918 when it was Customs Union, with the purpose that all countries can have replaced by the South African pound. In addition to the the same development and equitable economic advance. South African pound, a South West African pound was issued between the 1930s and The designs on Namibia’s banknotes and 1959. During 1961, the year when South Africa coins depict the country’s natural beauty and Alternative became a republic, the South African Rand landmarks. The 200, 100 and 50 dollar banknotes names for the was introduced and replaced all currencies in honour Hendrik Witbooi, one of the first local circulation in Namibia and South Africa. leaders to take up arms against the German currency were authorities in the late 1800s and in the colonial suggested, Finally, in 1993, Namibia adopted its own war of 1904/05, while the 10 and 20 dollar currency, the Namibia dollar. Alternative names banknotes portray the founding president, Sam including the for the currency were suggested, including the Nujoma. The back of the banknotes and coins Namibian Namibian kalahar, in reference to the Kalahari celebrate the country’s fauna and flora. Desert, but the government eventually opted kalahar. for the Namibia dollar. The first notes were As part of the 30th independence celebrations, issued on 15 September 1993. Banknotes the Bank of Namibia issued a N$30 note that worth N$ 100 million in total were distributed to Namibia’s depicts the faces of founding president Sam Nujoma, former commercial banks. Altogether, banknotes and coins worth president Hifikepunye Pohamba and President Hage Geingob. N$ 2 billion were produced at a cost of N$18 million. The new The note is meant to celebrate the smooth transition of coins arrived at Walvis Bay on 13 November that year and power as well as the legacy of the three presidents over the were issued to commercial banks from 8 December. last three decades. Namibia now had its own currency, but because of the small size of the country’s economy, it was decided to keep the dollar pegged to the South African Rand. This means the rand is still legal tender in Namibia and has the same value. Conversely, however, the Namibia dollar is not accepted for cash payment in South Africa.
After 109 years of currencies forced upon them by colonial masters, Namibians were finally free to introduce their own unique currency. Another proud achievement worth celebrating. Le Roux van Schalkwyk Listen to the audio version of this story 15
IT’S TIME FOR THE PERFECT BEER
OUR PERFECT BEER IS AVAILABLE IN 16 COUNTRIES WORLD WIDE. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT NBLEXPORT@OL.NA
Not for Persons Under the Age of 18. Enjoy Responsibly.
art-ist
Juné van der Walt for Urban Lens Photography
Diolini steps into her own rhythm
E
ver since she can remember, this Namibian golden-voiced girl has been in love with music.
Signed by UMB Academy, Diolini expresses concern over the state of the Namibian music industry.
Like many teens at the time, Chantell Uiras, better known as Diolini, was obsessed with R&B, spending hours on end listening to her favourite songs. “I’d often contemplate how people were able to create all these beautiful melodies, and if the melodies would run out by the time I was able to make my own music,” she recalls fondly.
“It sometimes feels like we’re still doing the groundwork in creating a strong foundation for our music industry to grow and thrive from,” she says.
Diolini now laughs at those thoughts but admits that sometimes the fear that the melodies might eventually run out still crosses her mind. With that kind of devotion it was inevitable that the aspiring singer would gravitate towards a career in music. Diolini lives through her music. Her style can be described as neo soul with elements of house. Like many creatives, Diolini experiences her creative moments at different times and in different scenarios. “It could be early morning when I’m sungazing with a cup of tea, or late evening when I’ve just stumbled into the house very intoxicated. My spirit takes care of the process, my mind just needs enough presence to capture it.”
On top of finding a footing in an industry that she says needs much work to be able to thrive, she also highlights the challenges that women in music are facing in their pursuit of success.
I write about what it feels like being myself and being on this ever-changing journey of life and love as a young person.
An avid writer, Diolini pens songs inspired by a variety of events, feelings, and situations that she experiences. “I can be extremely sentimental, so the majority of the time I find myself writing music that reflects my inner and outer environment at a specific time. I write about what it feels like being myself and being on this ever-changing journey of life and love as a young person,” she says. She also writes about her deep love for nature, love, and life. Many things inspire her writing and everything has the potential to inspire her. She puts it quite perfectly: “Everywhere I look is an abundance of stories to write, so I write them.”
“Sometimes I find myself having to be aware of the fact that I am female. Women tend to be underestimated or sexualized and it has an effect on how I sometimes have to carry myself in order to get the respect, recognition and sometimes even the money I deserve.” Despite the challenges in the industry she nevertheless loves the grind and considers herself blessed to be able to show people what she is made of. “Struggling is a natural part of taking the path less followed,” she stresses.
Diolini has come a long way from singing backing vocals for other musicians. Most of her earlier work is based on the projects of other musicians and producers. Her music career took off by performing some mesmerising covers of classic songs. But today, Diolini has crafted her own identity and is stepping into her own rhythm as a solo performer. Not only is she ready to re-introduce her sound to Namibia but she is also excited to debut her music on the global stage. Rukee Kaakunga is a Windhoek-based Concept Engineer, PR Consultant, and fashion writer. Contact her via email: rukeekaakunga@gmail.com and follow her on Twitter @rukeeveni. Listen to the audio version of this story 17
10 minutes
with local taste makers
I
Zach Kauraisa
have a lot of respect for men who pull off turtle necks with Cuban links, and Zach Kauraisa is no exception. On the contrary – he (and Dwayne Johnson) are the origin of my fondness for this fashion statement. He might as well have invented it.
Everything he knows, besides the law degree, he has taught himself. In high school, a need for a creative to capture the choreography of his dance collective led him to learn the art of videography. When planning the popular festival, he set out to acquire the skills necessary to successfully design, manage and market an event that would later become a regular occurrence. In four hours, Zach and a close friend conceptualised a bespoke fashion accessories brand and, with the help from a few Google searches, sourced manufacturers and positioned the limited edition hats in the Namibian market.
His temporary relocation to Dundee, Scotland, means we can’t meet for coffee at a local joint. But the hourlong Whatsapp call makes it feel as if I’ve known Zach forever (which I don’t) and as if we’re going to be lifelong friends (here’s hoping.) It’s our seemingly endless tête-à-tête that makes me wonder why he hasn’t added “conversationalist” (or anything, for that matter) to his Instagram bio. It’s If you were probably because he cannot, and shouldn’t, planning on narrow it down. In true taste-maker fashion, Zach wears many hats. He is a dancing, photographing, event planning, content creating, visual artist with a law degree to boot. “Now what on earth is this asset to the Namibian creative industry doing in Dundee?”, you might ask. I did, and I regret to inform you that he is not learning the bagpipes, but doing his Honors in Oil & Gas law. Lots of question marks, I know.
putting Zach in a box – which you really shouldn’t – crazy is probably the closest you’re going to get to describing this muso.
Zach has a hunch that Namibia is soon to strike the oil jackpot. He’s left the borders of the Land of the Brave – for the very first time, I might add – to equip himself with the necessary knowledge to lawyer the hell out of this prospective industry. He’s ahead of the curve, once again. And we’re all still playing catch up with his crazy art. If you were planning on putting Zach in a box – which you really shouldn’t – crazy is probably the closest you’re going to get to describing this muso. Crazy because he and his friends put together the first and wildly successful Windhoek Pop-Up festival – in 9 days flat.
The secret? An inherently extroverted personality and a hunger for knowledge. The “ability to learn, learn fast and learn always” is what has driven his success. “It is when you refuse to learn, that you struggle.” Along with just enough youth and naivety to take massive risks, Zach has a certain je ne sais quoi when it comes to what he creates. Zach has the almost unheard-of ability to separate himself and his ego from the art – lending himself to whatever it requires. It is in this capacity that you find his images having an unfuckwithable attitude. But you can, as a matter of fact, fuck with Zach. Because he’s a genuinely nice guy and a crazy creative.
Although the creative space isn’t going to do his breadwinning – because it lacks the structure he finds himself craving in an 8-5 job – Zach will still create during weekends (thank goodness). See, while we’re out shaking away the working week, he’ll be creating the gobsmacking content we’ll be fawning over, come Monday. That’s Zach, he’s unconventional, in-tune, ahead of the curve and wears turtlenecks and Cuban links like it’s nobody’s business. Charene Labuschagne Listen to the audio version of this story 19
THE EVEREXPANDING
URBAN SPRAWL
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he world is undergoing the largest wave of urban growth in history, and the urban sprawl is growing at an alarming rate.
According to the 2018 Revision of the World Urbanization Prospects report, published by the Population Division of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), the world’s urban population is projected to have increased nearly six-fold: from 751 million in 1950 to 4.2 billion by 2018. Half of the global population lives in urban areas, and according to projections 68% of the world’s population will live in urban areas by 2050. Although the urban population in Africa is a relatively low 43%, Africa and Asia have the highest urbanisation rates. The continent’s urban growth rate is projected to be 11 times higher than that of Europe and that six of the world’s mega-cities (cities with a population of 10 million people or more) will be in Africa by 2030. Urbanisation is not only caused by population growth but also by migration. This is especially the situation in developing countries where people are lured to cities and towns in the hope of making a better living. For urbanites used to the comforts of city life – like running hot and cold water and electricity at the flick of a switch – it might be difficult to understand why people would want to migrate to cities and towns. The reality is that life in the rural areas is not nearly as idyllic as it might seem. The prospects of employment, housing and better educational opportunities are among the main pull factors drawing people to urban areas. Environmental factors such as droughts and floods are other causes of urbanisation. Yet others are attracted by the bright city lights and the urban lifestyle which often causes a breakdown in social systems. The downside of urban migration is that rural households are deprived of labour, which reduces agricultural productivity. This, in turn, increases food insecurity. Depopulation can also be caused by a lack of development in rural areas. A case in point is Spain which experienced an exodus of people from the rural areas, especially young people, because of a
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lack of development and infrastructure. The country’s rural regions have lost 28% of their populations in 50 years, and five regions covering 53% of Spain’s territory are inhabited by only 15% of the total population. The most pressing issue facing the authorities in developing countries is the proliferation of informal settlements. To provide basic services such as running water, electricity, refuse removal and proper sanitation places severe strain on the finances of local authorities. In the absence of these services, informal settlements become breeding places for diseases such as cholera and Hepatitis E. And they can easily turn into hotbeds of discontent that can fuel protests and social unrest. Haphazard and uncontrolled settlements spawn slums inhabited by hundreds of thousands of people. They are characterized by overcrowding, dire poverty and, in some cases, a near-complete lack of services. Despite its low population figure, Namibia has experienced
Liza de Klerk
large-scale migration and urbanisation since independence. The urban population increased from 28% in 1991 to 33% ten years later (an increase of 5%), but then grew by 9% to 42.8% in 2011 when the last national census was undertaken.
Namibia’s second largest urban area, Rundu, saw a population increase from 36,964 people in 2001 to 63,431 people in just ten years. This has largely been attributed to an influx of Angolans.
Windhoek is the centre of economic The reality is activity. Therefore it is not surprising that that life in the the capital’s population has boomed since 1990, when it had a population of 147,000. rural areas is By 2001 the population had increased to not nearly as 233,529 and ten years later by another 39% to 325,858. The city’s population is now idyllic as it estimated to be around 450,000 people. It might seem. has been suggested that up to 40% live in the sprawling informal settlements that keep mushrooming on the city’s perimeters. This has not only placed the City of Windhoek but also the central government under pressure to provide hospitals and schools, as well as ensuring an adequate water supply.
Corrugated iron structures have become an all too familiar sight on the outskirts of other towns, villages and settlements in Namibia during the past 30 years. The population of the coastal town of Walvis Bay increased by 188% from 21,249 in 1991 to 61,300 in 2011, while the population of Oshakati boomed from 9,303 to 35,600 during the same period – a growth rate of 283%. The human tide of migrants to the urban areas seems to be unstoppable. So brace yourself for the new normal. Namibian freelance journalist and travel writer: Willie Olivier Listen to the audio version of this story 21
MAKING SAFETY A PRIORITY AND PERSONAL KEEPS US SAFE, TODAY TO ENSURE A BETTER TOMORROW.
At Namdeb, we uphold our safety standards with the greatest regard, because through them, every person at Namdeb remains safe today and tomorrow. We therefore put safety at the helm of everything that we do by embedding it in our work culture to ensure zero harm GOOD TODAY. BETTER TOMORROW.
ROYAL HUSTLERS
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James Mnyupe on growing into his purpose
man at the helm of one of the leading investment companies in Namibia, James Mnyupe, did not have a predictable journey to where he finds himself today.
James joined Allan Gray Namibia in 2010 as a trainee investment analyst. This was a perfect move as he had been passionate about investments since he was a university student.
Born in Tanzania in the 80s, James spent the first four years of his life in Dar es Salaam until his enterprising mother moved the family to Kenya. They lived there for some time before settling down in the far south of the continent – in Namibia, the country which has since become his home.
He moved to Johannesburg for a year and worked in the private equity division at Allan Gray. “My mentor and boss told me I had the potential to make a difference to lead and build on the foundations of Namibian business. I had humility and I dared to listen to that call of duty,” says James.
Now the Managing Director of Allan Gray Namibia, James has for the past three years been a consultant for the government. He serves on the Private Public Partnership (PPP) Ministerial Committee for the Minister of Finance, as well as on various boards. James sees these roles as his means of giving back to I think success the community and paving the way forward. In fact, he donates some of his board sitting for me might fees to two charities selected by his family.
James grew up with a strong community of women and attributes his professional success to them. “It’s really thanks to my mom and my sister, and to women in general, that I am where I am today,” he says. As for his early career goals, James went through various phases. “Depending on which James you spoke to, that changed like the weather,” he jokes. At one point, he wanted to be a police officer, but after realising the hazards of working in law enforcement he considered a career in medicine.
be if I’m able to define myself as a contributor, a builder more than a consumer.
“But when the reality of life hit me, when the rubber hit the road and I realised we just didn’t have money for me to go to medical school, I had to be quick on my feet, so I obtained my Bachelors of Business Administration – and then life just brought me to where I am.”
James says he was anything but a straight-A student in his early school years. Instead, he was very active and had a keen interest in sports. He moved from school to school until his mother enrolled him at a private school. “She had to pay a significant amount of school fees to get me into that school. When I was there the utility of success and hard work became apparent,” he recalls. James became a diligent student with the help of coaches and mentors, as well as the continued support of his mother, who always wanted a bright future for him.
James has come a long way since his student years. “I’ve learnt to be more humble and my rougher edges have become smoother. I believe at the core I have a big desire and passion to win, but as I become older, when I look at why I do what I do, especially some of the work where I volunteer my time, I start to think about my one-year-old son and the legacy I wish to leave for him.”
On how he defines success, James says, “I think success for me might be if I’m able to define myself as a contributor, a builder more than a consumer. It is something I’d love to pass on to my kids as well.” A dynamic force both at work and in his community, James is determined to keep serving others. He approaches everything he does with passion and remains hopeful for the future of Namibia and his children. This article is based on an interview with James on 99FM. Tune in to The Royal Hustlers on 99 FM every Monday to Friday at 07h35. Listen to the audio version of this story 23
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THE TRIB
Claudio Work
#TheTribeExclusive Lioness is ready for Global Domination
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multifaceted music powerhouse who excels at everything she puts her mind to, Lioness changed the game when she graduated from medical school soon after releasing her career-changing project The Pride of CilQ.
This period became a turning point for the rapper who finally got her ‘big break’ after 11 years in the industry. Today, Lioness is a qualified doctor who is ranked as the illest hip hop femcee Namibia has seen in recent years. In an interview with Ché Ulenga for The Tribe, Lioness talks about the creative process that birthed The Pride of CilQ. “It was a little bit difficult for me because I really had to prioritise. Obviously, school was my priority, but I couldn’t stay away from the music, and so I did it in parts,” she says. She worked with different producers and artists on the project while her best friends and fellow rappers, Skrypt and KP Illest pitched in to put finishing touches to the album while she wrote her final exams. Another Namibian rapper, the late Catty Catt, assisted Lioness in navigating the music business.
“Yeah, some artists get lucky, for other artists it takes a little bit of time and that’s okay because we all have our different journeys,” she says. Lioness continues to work extremely hard to stay on top of her game. She has earned the unofficial title of Queen of Visuals with her conceptual music videos featuring collaborations with Namibian creatives. She has so far worked with talented fashion, beauty and music stars such as Jay-Aeron, Miles Meroro and Renate Art.
To get to the top it took the rapper countless freestyle battles, cyphers and even performing for just a handful of people.
“I’m honoured, you know, and back then Catty Catt really had my back. May his soul rest in peace.” To get to the top it took the rapper countless freestyle battles, cyphers and even performing for just a handful of people. She persisted and, facilitated by Coke Studio Africa, now boasts an intercontinental collaboration with South African rapper Boity and Kenyan musician Nazizi.
With her determination and ability to continuously stay ahead of her peers in a competitive industry, there’s no doubt that it’s only a matter of time before Lioness takes on the world.
QUICK FACTS: Dope beat or killer chorus? Dope beat First job? Waitress Your first salary was spent on? I remember giving it to my Mom Beard or no beard? I have to go with the beard. I’m a beard girl. The ultimate collaboration you’d like to be on? Burna Boy
Watch The Tribe on One Africa TV (GoTV 90, DStv 284, DStv Now, TV2Africa.com) every Friday at 21h30 and repeat shows on Wednesdays at 07h00 and on Saturdays at 17h30. Alternatively, listen to The Tribe on 99FM every Friday at 19h00, and follow The Tribe on Instagram @thetribenamibia and on Facebook @TheTribeNamibia. Listen to the audio version of this story 25
Photography Feature:
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Tuva Wolf
uva Wolf, the photography alias of news editor Merja Iileka, is a Namibian creative specialising in visuals and creative direction. After completing her multi-media studies that included photography as a subject in Cape Town, South Africa, Tuva Wolf returned to her motherland where she honed her photography skills for over a decade in the newsroom while compiling stories mainly from populous northern Namibia, which is known for its rich culture. This affinity for storytelling that not only uses words, but also photographs, in 2017 eventually bore the fruit that is TW Studio. TW Studio is focused on conceptual fashion photography, a style that is largely untapped in Namibia. Through her
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still relatively young studio, Tuva Wolf’s visuals have landed on the walls of local art galleries, on billboards, online magazines and newspaper covers. As a biracial woman born in exile to a black African mother and a white European father, Tuva Wolf has always been interested in topics of identity, race and feminism and in exploring how these subjects can be used to tell stories through fashion photography. This is a theme that continues to be a source of inspiration while Tuva Wolf explores her own place and identity in the world. Her primary mission is to empower other creatives and to use visual platforms to start dialogue. “The idea is to get to the centre of who we are as a people and to discover ways of celebrating our existence as Africans.”
Tuva Wolf started work on a deeply personal, long-term project called Shades Of Industry in 2019. It is a collaboration with other creatives, including African models, designers, stylists and makeup artists. The project centres on blackness and is aimed at defining as well as redefining beauty standards in art form.
Website: www.tuvawolf.net
At the Katutura Fashion Week (KFW) Awards 2019 Tuva Wolf was named Photographer of the Year. In 2018 she was named Favourite Photographer at the Simply You Magazine Lifestyle and Fashion (SYMLAFA) Awards.
Instagram: @tuvawolf
Facebook: @Tuva Wolf
Listen to the audio version of this story 29
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NO SPACE FOR FEAR
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ight now, with the world in lockdown, it feels like a difficult time to be brave. This is probably why we are seeing blame and panic spreading as quickly as the global coronavirus pandemic. With the focus firmly on staying healthy, it seems a luxury to allocate any of our efforts to fighting our fears. Yet, fear is one-dimensional, humming the only note it knows: stop. Fear is triggered in the realms of the unknown, and currently we are in the realms of the unknown in global history – not that we have ever been anywhere else. It might seem hard, but fear is the battle we need to fight more than any other right now.
already found in 2012: “In a healthy body, cortisol helps suppress inflammation. But the chronically stressed have consistently elevated cortisol levels, so the immune system grows resistant to the hormone, effectively ignoring it. Inflammation-causing proteins called cytokines – associated with developing a cold – then go unchecked.” To protect ourselves from the damage which our own fears do to our immune system, we could apply a little curiosity. Author Erik Wahl writes in his book Unthink: Rediscover your Creative Genius: “In our early years, you and I consistently embodied the key traits that drive constant creativity. Curiosity ruled our senses. Enthusiasm ignited our actions. We did not fear what we did not know – instead we thrived on the process of discovery.” It is as we get older that we crave certainty and security. Yet, as we are constantly being reminded by life, certainty and security do not really exist.
To allow our fears to drive us in these uncertain times is to endanger ourselves even further.
To allow our fears to drive us in these uncertain times is to endanger ourselves even further. Much research has highlighted how fear weakens our immune systems and makes us more susceptible to illness. Jo Marchant explains in her book Cure: “Fear causes the body to go into damage control mode as it prepares for defeat… Our peripheral blood vessels constrict and our heart beats less efficiently, so less blood is being pumped around the body… In addition there is a surge of the stress hormone cortisol, as the immune system prepares for injury and infection.” This is not new information. Scientists have been studying the link between stress and the immune system for years now, and finer details of the effect of stress have been uncovered for most illnesses. Scientists
Perhaps these times of great uncertainty are offering us a chance to re-think how we do ‘business as usual’. Perhaps we are being offered the opportunity to slow down, spend more time at home, and rethink what our true priorities actually are. When last did we even have the time to consider what our priorities are? Perhaps this is the time.
When we replace our fear of the unknown with curiosity, we invite creativity into our lives. This is the time to appreciate the value of your own joy, and to find out what unfolds beauty and transcendence in your life. Perhaps there has never been a better time. Kirsty Watermeyer Kirsty is a Yoga and Meditation Coach, a Transformation Facilitator and Writer. Contact her at kirsty@seednamibia.com Listen to the audio version of this story
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Ennio Hamutenya on breaking down barriers with fashion
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Being a creative is to create, and to create is to take risks.
F
ire has major importance in many Namibian cultures. In the Ovaherero community, the holy fire has great ancestral and ceremonial significance. For the Aawambo, one of the most essential traditions honouring the alpha person of the village or tribe is to keep a fire lit whenever that person is present.
When Ennio Hamutenya ventured into the fashion business after a successful stint as a football player, the traditional Aawambo practice involving fire sparked his creativity. To date, the same cultural practice is celebrated with each of his signature felt hats which have been spotted on Hollywood celebrities like Diddy, Amber Rose and Winnie Harlow. In this exclusive interview he talks about his passion for culture and taking the Hamutenya brand to greater heights… Your brand has grown tremendously over the last few years. What is the biggest factor you attribute this growth to? Two simple things: My not accepting attitude, and isolation. By not accepting attitude I mean I’ve been told by so many people that the things I’m planning to achieve with my brand are “unrealistic”, but time and time again I prove
them wrong. It really isn’t how people rate you but your belief in yourself. And by isolation I mean I’ve distanced myself from people in general, people who don’t help my growth. I’m 23 years old, and most young adults around my age are distracted by things that may bring temporary joy but have nothing more to show for it other than that. So, by investing time in myself and my knowledge I’ve served my brand and dedicated more time to it than I would to things that bring temporary joy. Discipline is my superpower. You’ve managed to make an impact in a particularly competitive and cut-throat industry on an international level. How do you do it? Firstly I give God the glory. Secondly I stay true to myself and what I’m about. There are too many creatives trying to be like other creatives. It’s good to look up to and learn from other successful creatives but that’s where it stops for me. I know what my end goal in fashion is, and step by step I’m getting closer. The story and the philosophy of my brand is what I believe helped me grow to this level. At the beginning people thought I was crazy. So many times I was asked, “Why on
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earth would people want to wear a hat with a burnt brim?” But serving a purpose is what people need to turn to.
getting my thoughts out. And now I will have the opportunity to share it with everyone. The release date is the 16th of July.
Being a creative is to create, and to create is to take risks. Just believe in your ideas. My brand’s philosophy is the key and I have already seen the biggest fashion brands turn to my philosophy.
And I did this at my young age because there’s one thing which I know about life and I remind myself of everyday: that tomorrow is not promised and you should not live in the future.
What is your favourite part of your work? My favourite part is seeing the hope I’ve instilled in the Namibian youth. ‘Make Namibia known 2020’ is a movement I created, and seeing what it’s been doing makes me happy. I want the youth to look up to my mentality – not me, but to my mentality. What keeps you inspired and how does it translate into your designs? Breaking down the barriers for Namibians. For more Namibians to be able to make their dreams come true. Having a positive impact on our culture which will hopefully last for eternity. You recently authored a book – what inspired you to do it and what can people expect from it? It’s a book I wrote about my view on society, a book I believe our society desperately needs. To be honest I wrote this book for myself, to deal with me feeling mentally alone because I just wasn’t accepting of society and the direction it’s going towards. So it was me just
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Many celebs have been spotted wearing your famous hat, is there a celeb you are particularly excited to see in a Hamutenya hat? If I told you I would be giving away a surprise. I believe that soon I’ll have the biggest celebrity in the world wear it. I just hope I’ll then get the respect I deserve from my fellow Namibians because I’m really not doing this for myself but for my country. Where do you see your brand in the next few years? I see it being amongst the likes of Louis Vuitton, Dior, Goyard, Chanel. I see Hamutenya as the biggest African luxury brand. The first African brand to be at that level. I will also be releasing a full clothing line in 2020/2021. And I plan to get local creatives involved. To keep up with Ennio’s global domination, follow the Hamutenya brand on Instagram @hamu.tenya. Rukee Kaakunga is a Windhoek-based Concept Engineer, PR Consultant, and fashion writer. Contact her via email: rukeekaakunga@gmail.com and follow her on Twitter @rukeeveni.
Listen to the audio version of this story 35
Luis Munana Guts, Camera, Action
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L
uis Munana’s journey has taken him from his hometown of Rundu to the Big Brother Africa house and on to London, where he was the first Namibian male model to walk the runway at London Fashion Week. These experiences, as well as his work as a television presenter and producer, came about because Luis isn’t afraid to go against the grain and trust his own instincts. MYD: Luis, before we talk about where you come from, tell us about your successes. There are really some incredible achievements in your life. LM: My mom taught me not to talk about myself like that, not to brag, but for the interview’s sake I guess I have to say something. I don’t want to box myself into a specific industry or just one thing that I do, but to the world I am an international model, a TV producer and an events organiser – those are some of the titles. And a financial analyst, if you’d have me go into the corporate world. MYD: What was your childhood like? LM: Believe it or not, I was an introvert. I was that kid who was always helping the teacher, writing down the names of the naughty kids. I was the class captain. I come from a very Christian family. Automatically, we had to adapt and fall in line because as the preacher’s kid, you had to lead a life that set an example for others. It came quite naturally. People from church surrounded us, and at home we had a good upbringing. I mean, my parents did the best they could. MYD: Very often though, people will rebel against having that much pressure placed on them at an early age. How did you stay true to your goals? LM: I’ve always known that there is something bigger out there and I’ve always known that you have to take the next step. The plan was to do well in school, get good grades and go to Windhoek eventually. After Windhoek, the next step was to go to South Africa. After South Africa, it was the States or Europe. That was always the plan.
year came and I was struggling to pay for my studies. I was working as a waiter to earn money for textbooks and to pay for school and, since I needed the extra income, I thought why not just do it? Also, seeing that this was the third year in a row that they’d approached me, I thought why not give it a shot? From then on, I was meeting clients, flying to Durban, flying to Joburg for jobs, and the rest is history. MYD: What was the response from your family? LM:Mmm, let me not say they’ve accepted it fully, but they’re learning to cope with it. They’re learning to take it one day at a time. Obviously no African parent wants their son doing this, even more so when they have a qualification in finance. So, yes, they are learning to cope. MYD: How do you deal with the fact that it’s difficult for them? LM: It wasn’t easy at first because, at some point, we were not really on speaking terms. I just tell myself it’s a means to an end, it’s part of the puzzle. I tell myself to think about the bigger picture. MYD: You’re the most followed male in Namibia on social media. How much of a responsibility does that bring? LM: Since we are on a public platform we have to watch what we post because no matter what you say, there are people watching, people following, people listening. You drive certain perceptions by the things you post and the things you say, so if you are using that platform to tear someone down, you are automatically giving instruction to thousands of people who are following you to do the same thing.
I’ve always known that there is something bigger out there and I’ve always known that you have to take the next step.
I’ve always known that I would end up somewhere international, be it in business or something else. My plan was always to go see the world, explore, meet new people, because there were so many things I saw on TV that I hadn’t seen in my life yet. So the plan was to get good grades because it would open doors to the future. MYD: Were you always very goal-oriented? LM: Yes, that’s one thing I can tell you for sure. I always wanted a career change and to see the world. MYD : Tell us about the career change. How did you become a model? LM: There’s this thing called ‘season’ in the South African fashion industry. It happens twice in a year when international clients go to Cape Town to shoot. There are so many clients, there are jobs and castings, there are models and there are bookers, agents, and scouts. It was summer, I was in shorts, strolling down the streets and I was approached by a booker who wanted to sign me. I said no in the first year. I said no in the second year, then the third
We need to be responsible. It’s really that simple. We need to remember that this person you are trying to tear down or whoever you are commenting on negatively is someone’s child. You don’t know what struggles they are facing. People hide behind social media, but you don’t know what struggles they’re experiencing.
MYD: What advice would you have for anybody looking to fulfill their passion but who is not sure of what their passion is? LM: I’d say there is one thing that we have all been given – that’s the gift of free will. Free will is your instinct, your gut. Usually, as human beings, there is a little voice inside of us, talking to us and telling us that this is wrong, this is right. But, as we grow up, there’s noise. The noise starts to come from your parents, from your teachers, from your elders, and then there is too much noise and you start to forget who you are inside. My advice would be that you have to connect to that voice, you have to go with your gut. Your gut is never wrong, trust me. So my advice would be to listen to your gut, listen to your instinct because that’s your GPS, that’s your compass – it leads you in the right direction.
Luis’s story is part of a series celebrating Namibians in partnership with Master Your Destiny. Read more in the MYD Journal at: www.issuu. com/99fm/docs/99fm_myd_book_2018 Catch MYD Heart on 99FM, Mondays to Fridays on ‘The Pulse’ at 17H35. Listen to the audio version of this story 37
Namibian Oncology Centre health tips:
HOPE
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he first half of 2020 is a testimony to hope. At a time when the whole world is facing unprecedented challenges and reeling from the fallout of a global pandemic, one thing endured and persevered through it all: hope. The Oxford English Dictionary defines hope as “a feeling of expectation and desire for a particular thing to happen” as well as “grounds for believing that something good may happen”. This doesn’t mean that those who are hopeful are only the perky, cheerful people who are always looking for the silver lining on every cloud. Instead it means that all of us – regardless of our circumstances, background or ambitions – can always have hope. The difference is our focus. Those who choose to focus on negative situations or outcomes will find it harder to find hope. Hope is inherently positive, and being hopeful has an impact on how well you age, how you take care of your health, and even how productive you are at work. Having hope helps build resilience and your ability to manage stress, change and adversity. Hope, just like many other emotions, thoughts or beliefs, can lead to physiological changes in our bodies which in turn drive new thoughts, feelings and actions. Patients who maintain high levels of hope despite the challenges they faced during their illness have an improved prognosis and an
enhanced quality of life in general. Belief and expectation, two key elements of hope, have been shown to cause the release of painkilling endorphins in patients suffering from chronic illness. Hope allows us to view stressful situations as a challenge rather than a threat, reducing the intensity of the stress we experience and hindering the development of further stress. Hope also acts as a motivational factor that helps initiate and sustain action towards long-term goals, incorporating the flexibility to manage obstacles that may get in the way of achieving those goals. Many people would argue that they are realistic rather than hopeful, but even being realistic is a form of hope! It allows people to observe and understand their situation while maintaining openness towards the possibility of a positive change. No matter the situation, however bleak and frightening it may seem, there is always cause for hope. Be strong, be courageous, keep up the hope. “A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles” – Christopher Reeve.
Health tips brought to you by The Namibian Oncology Centre
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Culinary guide - Sponsored
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extraordinary Namibian stories. This is us.
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Jaffles
M
any older Namibians grew up eating jaffles – two slices of bread stuffed with minced meat, tomato, onions and sometimes cheese, and cooked over the flame of a primus stove using a special jaffle pan. The pan was of a special design: two round disks shaped like clamshells, attached to longish handles. The pan with the stuffed sandwich is closed and the handles are secured. This causes the edges of the pan to trim the bread and thereby effectively sealing the stuffing between the two slices of bread. The pan is held over an open flame until the bread is well toasted and the cheese has melted. When the jaffle is cooked, the pan is opened and the sandwich removed. It is best eaten while hot. Besides being delicious, jaffles are quick and easy to make and they are good value for money. They are also suitable to eat on the go, which made them a favourite snack offered at large public gatherings such as sports events, agricultural shows, church bazaars and school fundraisers. The jaffle iron was designed, named and patented in Australia in 1949 by a medical practitioner, Dr Ernest Smithers. The design was inspired by the waffle iron. The original wafel was a Dutch dish dating back to the 13th century. The practice of cooking two flat bread-like round shapes between two engraved iron disks started when the Catholic Church added religious motives to the plates used for communion wafers. The contemporary honey-combed wafelijzer, as we know it, emerged during the 15th century in Belgium. Dr Smithers’ invention was intended for outdoor use over an open flame or hot coals, hence the long handles. It was an instant hit in a country that is barbeque-mad. Soon it became fashionable to have several bowls of toppings and let guests toast their jaffles with a filling of their choice. The jaffle iron’s popularity spread to campsites, the streets and public markets. It quickly became a global favourite among street food lovers. Naturally, as other cultures adopted the jaffle, it started losing some of its identity. In the USA jaffle pans are known as pie irons or tonka toasters, and in India the famous Bombay Sandwich is made with something resembling a jaffle pan. Unlike the original jaffle, the Bombay (or Mumbai) sandwich has a vegetarian filling and is commonly served with herbal chutney. More recently, South African born chef Meryl van der Merwe established Jafflz, a chain that sells gourmet jaffles in the USA. Much like the Blues, it was only a matter of time before the jaffle ‘discovered’ electricity. Breville, an Australian kitchen appliance maker, launched their original Jaffle Maker in 1974. It was an instant hit and the jaffle was reinvented as the snackwich. The original jaffle iron has all but disappeared from public life these days and other than the monthly local Boeremark (farmers market) I don’t know of any place that still sells traditional jaffles. Christie Keulder Listen to the audio version of this story 41
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Dinner
How well do you know Owambo?
THE MONUMENTAL BAOBABS OF OWAMBO
T
he African baobab (Adansonia digitata) is without doubt one of the most iconic and majestic trees in Africa. Towering above the woodlands of southern Africa, these giants have served as landmarks along early trade routes and fortifications against attacks by raiders. Virtually every part of the tree has been utilised for centuries as a source of food, as medicine and a multitude of other purposes. In Africa it occurs in the savannas of southern, eastern and north-eastern Africa as well as in tropical West Africa. Its distribution in Namibia is restricted to the Bushmanland area, the East Kavango and Zambezi regions, the Kunene Region and the Omusati Region. The ages of these giants have been the subject of much speculation (with the exception of a few trees that have been carbon-dated) until a group of international scientists, headed by Professor Adrian Patrut of the Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at Babes-Bolyai University in Romania began searching for the largest baobabs in southern Africa. Their aim: to determine the age, growth and structure of baobabs with a circumference of over 20 m – which they classified as monumental baobabs.
During their research the team unexpectedly found the highest density of the world’s huge baobabs in the Omusati Region – the westernmost region in the Owambo area. In Outapi and within a 5 km radius of the town six baobabs had a circumference of over 20 m, while another three monumental baobabs were discovered in the Onesi area. Although the Ombalantu Baobab in Outapi is a national monument and the best-known tree in the region, it is not the largest by far. In years gone by its lofty branches were used as lookout posts to detect raiding parties, while sharpshooters would fend off any attack with bows and arrows to protect the women and children sheltering in the hollow stem. The tree once also served as a post office and it was the centrepiece of a South African Defence Force military base when the hollow stem was used as a small chapel. The region’s largest baobab, named Outapi-2, is on private property close to the western outskirts of Outapi. With a circumference of 30.8 m and a height of 22.1 m it ranks among the five largest baobabs in Africa. Just a few kilometres to the north of Outapi is the Anamulenge Baobab, named after the nearby settlement. One of the most interesting baobabs
in the area, it consists of 11 fused stems and has an entrance into the cavity in its trunk about four metres above the ground. The Sir Howard’s Baobab in the settlement of Tsandi, some 30 km south of Outapi, was named after the first administrator of South West Africa, Sir Howard Gorges, who visited Tsandi in 1916. With a circumference of 31.6 m and a height of 23.8 m, it also ranks among the five largest baobabs in Africa. A number of other monumental baobabs have also been identified in the Tsandi and Onesi areas. Further east, in the town of Okahao, is another huge baobab which has been declared a national monument. Grotesquely shaped as they are, it is not surprising that the African baobab has also been referred to as the Upside Down Tree. Willie Olivier FlyWestair’s Embraer flies north from Windhoek to Ondangwa every weekday and Sundays. Willie Olivier gathered some interesting fast facts about the central northern region of Namibia. If you want to add to the list, send us your ideas to fly@venture.com.na or tag FlyWestair on social media and it will be included in the next issues.
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What draws us Skyward?
“T
he desire to fly is an idea handed down to us by our ancestors who, in their gruelling travels across trackless lands in prehistoric times, looked enviously on the birds soaring freely through space, at full speed, above all obstacles, on the infinite highway of the air.” – Wilbur Wright I’ve never been able to actually put my finger on the target of this question. For people in the aviation industry this is a question we face on a daily basis, along with “is flying difficult” and “what do all the buttons do?”. We all have our individual reasons for why we fly and why we got into the aviation industry, but I’m sure most of us have the same unexplainable reason that we cannot seem to communicate in a way which a non-pilot friend or family member would understand. Obviously there are exceptions, but I would say that most of us either caught the aviation bug when we were kids or when we took a flip in an airplane that forever had us looking at the sky. Everyone has something that drives them along. It’s a passion, whether it’s hidden deep inside of a person or is already in action. For some, aviation lives in their heart. These people usually have been involved in the flying industry for quite some time. As for me, I was bitten by the aviation bug when I was about 6 years old and I never looked back. Being a stubborn kid, once this bug had bitten there was no changing my mind or convincing me that flying wasn’t for me. There was a fire ignited inside me and everything started to revolve around flying, airplanes and aviation in general. This is the career I wanted to pursue.
birds that other people designed and built... and you don’t think it’s amazing? My fascination with aircraft and all the wonders of flight has not left me, even 20 years later. I have translated this early fascination and passion into my day job by starting with my Commercial Pilots license a few years ago in Cape Town and then took it to the next level by becoming a flight instructor. As a flight instructor I am so fortunate to teach something I’m excited about and pass on the knowledge I have gained in my years in aviation. I get to help mould the future aviators of Namibia everyday at one of the best aviation training institutions on the African continent, Signa Aviation Services. Here we are a group of young, driven individuals who have the same passion and fascination for aviation as I do. We offer a host of aviation courses from the initial Private Pilots licence to Cabin Crew Licences and Jet Type Ratings. Flying an aircraft is not for everyone but once you have had your first taste of flight your life will be changed forever. “Flying is more than a sport and more than a job; flying is pure passion and desire, which fill a lifetime.” Lisa Cowling Website: www.signaaviation.com Office: +264 83 339 0094 Email: info@signaaviation.com
I mean who wouldn’t want to fly an airplane for a living. People are moved at incredibly high speeds in heavy metal Listen to the audio version of this story 45
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A Whole Country To Look Forward To Once all the coronavirus scares die down Namibia awaits.
T
o be honest, when I was growing up I used to think Namibia was a set of four claustrophobic walls. Now that I am older that opinion varies according to my frustrations. But, really, my teenage years felt like solitary confinement – I had strict parents – with the occasional release into the general population (translation: going to the mall, the cinema, or being allowed to attend a sleepover – the longest leash one could hope for). I was not an enjoyer of sunrises or a lover of sunsets. The starry evenings held nothing but boredom for me. The same went for walks. I also hated the camping trips my parents thought we should go on as a family. I remember returning from Etosha National Park with numerous vows never to be in the wild again. The joke was on me – in school camps I was again forced to pitch tents and boil water over a fire, and the very worst of social outings: teambuilding exercises. That four-wall-syndrome followed me from my late primary school years into my high school and into my university years when I left Namibia to study abroad. The feeling persisted when I returned after a sevenyear absence from the country. Four walls. Low ceiling. Nothing to do. It was this way for two miserable years before I Invictus-ed my way to my own personal happiness and fulfilment. But that four walls feeling never went away completely.
Windhoek’s landscapes. With the city spread out before you, the vista of open, cloudy or cloudless sky stretches from one horizon to the next, boundless from the margin of earth all the way to the endless sky above. As far as walls go on that front, it is a pretty big and wide wall, with an infinite number of details to see and savour. Little needs to be said about Namibia’s sunsets, very little indeed. Suffice it to say, if they were to be a wall then there is probably no better wall for solitary confinement, for solitude and reflection.
The third and fourth walls are outside the city, far far away. They are in the Namib and Kalahari deserts, at the chilly coast which runs the length of the country, in the Kaokoveld and in the flat farmlands to the east. They are in the south of the country where the harshness of the land has a bleak beauty about it, and in the north where the grasslands stretch from here into the ocean mirage of infinity. They are not close, they are far away, more expansive than one can imagine, varied and interesting, and so Little needs to far apart that the idea of confinement is be said about rubbished as quickly as it is thought up.
Namibia’s sunsets, very little indeed. Suffice it to say, if they were to be a wall then there is probably no better wall for solitary confinement, for solitude and reflection.
Now, years later, thanks to the COVID-19 outbreak that has the whole world on lockdown, with every major city practicing varying degrees of social distancing and quarantine, the four walls feeling is back. The only comfort for me is that everyone is in the same boat, and with good reason – we must all do our parts. We are all confined to our four walls for the greater part of the day, and we are all looking forward to the days when we can get out and do things we took for granted in what seems like bygone years even though it has only been a week or two in some cases. After seeing all the details of the various four walls in my house, I am quite ready to be released back into the wild, back into the city and the country that felt like a term in purgatory. Before the coronavirus pandemic I had become a lover of walks. If you live in the leafier suburbs, the streets are quieter, wider, safer to stroll through, and they provide the casual or fitness walker with changing vantages of
It is thus hoped that in due time, when the world has a better grip on the COVID-19 crisis, the extents of these four walls shall be tested, that they shall be explored by everyone in Namibia – certainly not just the wealthy – and that the numerous freedoms one enjoys as a citizen of the land of savannahs are not taken for granted. That, at least, is the hope. Whether things play out differently remains to be seen. The fact remains though: nobody ever knows what they have until they sneeze or cough it away. And I, for one, am looking forward to getting outside of my four walls. I am sure that everyone else is, too. Considering that outside of those four walls Namibia waits, I think it is a pretty good deal, much better than most. So, yeah, lockdown and quarantine now. But at least there is a whole country to look forward to in the days to come. Rémy Ngamije is a Rwandan-born Namibian novelist, columnist, essayist, short-story writer, and photographer. His debut novel The Eternal Audience Of One is available from Blackbird Books and Amazon. His short stories have appeared in Litro Magazine, AFREADA, The Johannesburg Review of Books, The Amistad, The Kalahari Review, American Chordata, Doek!, and Azure. More of his writing can be read on his website: remythequill.com Listen to the audio version of this story 47
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Namibia’s Green Economy
ICT Services:
Green Enterprise Solutions
A
t the speed of development today, where information and communication technology (ICT) sustains the bulk of our daily actions, it comes as no surprise that there are those who believe in “the entrepreneurial goldmine… of technological advancements”.
Since the outbreak of COVID-19 our lives may have slowed down in terms of traffic jams and rushing to meetings, but virtual reality is growing faster than ever. If anything, the pandemic has sped up the adoption of an online-based alternative to many of our daily activities, like paying for food and other services, or communicating with family, friends and colleagues. In Namibia the general public might still be adjusting to the change from the physical space – where cash is king – to the digital arena, but that doesn’t mean that the uptake of technology has been slow. On the contrary, the demand for online services, payment solutions and smartphone applications is on the rise, and more entrepreneurs are trying their hand at developing tech solutions suited to Namibian needs.
Green, as clients know the enterprise, provides services to large corporate and public clients like Nampost, Namwater, Namibmills, Nampower, Nampol, and many more. But back to the entrepreneurial spirit. As seasoned techies, Kehad and the Green team have made it part of their mandate to provide a platform for young developers to access the online market. Earlier this year Green signed a MoU with local self-taught app developer Macveren Kapukare to provide financial, business and marketing support for his real estate app, EstApp, and assist with software development and software engineers. The App is described as “having a real estate agent in your pocket” – with which owners can list and sell properties, and tenants can pay rent. Needless to say, its potential as a new service offering sparked interest amongst the Green team.
“Don’t worry – be Virtual” as Green leads the way
Kehad Snydewel is managing director of Green Enterprise Solutions, a local company that started out in 2010 as, what he calls, “a simple infrastructure department”, and expanded into a fully-fledged ICT provider, serving a variety of industries in Namibia. A strong advocate for digitalisation and tech solutions, Kehad and his team positioned themselves as key industry players over the last ten years, embracing the Fourth Industrial Revolution as a solution towards economic growth. Today, the tech industry is his playing field and
“Times are changing and we need to embrace the idea of going fully digital in our businesses.” With the foresight that there are many more local business sectors to uncover, Kehad affirms, “the Fourth Industrial Revolution provides the solution to uplift Namibia and Africa as a continent. We can engage and implement best practices and adapt them for our own needs and circumstances.” By building technical infrastructure suited to the local market, Green is leading the way towards a digital future. Still not convinced? Just follow their advice: “Don’t worry – be virtual!” Find out more at www.green.com.na Marita van Rooyen Listen to the audio version of this story 49
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