Ondonga Traditional Authority (OTA) chairperson, John Walenga is calling on parents and guardians to register their male children for an initiation process set to take place in October.
The initiation process will occur at Etotha Salt Pan, northwest of Etosha National Park in the Okatyali Constituency of the Oshana Region and involves the boys travelling and collecting salt for consumption.
Walenga said in an interview with Nampa on Wednesday that they are collaborating with the Ministry of Defence and Veterans Affairs to carry out this initiation process to instil discipline and patriotism in young boys and men from the age of nine years upward.
‘We want to train our boys traditionally to be real men in society and cure some of these modern diseases,’ he said.
Walenga added that they want to uplift their cultural norms of raising a man.
He said that everyone who wants to take part in the process is welcome and they should register with any of the eight northern traditional authorities by giving their de
claration of wanting their son or nephew to take part in the initiation process alongside their ID number.
‘Every tribe is welcome to take part in this initiation process as it aims to address some of the challenges of ill men we have in our society,’ said Walenga.
Walenga said that this is one of the modern ways of instilling discipline in men and preventing them from ‘following the Western culture of same-sex marriage.’
He also pointed out that last year’s initiation process which had 250 participants and took place on 07-08 October has motivated about 1 000 parents to register their children this year.
Walenga emphasised that they are going to coordinate with the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture to host this year’s initiation process for a whole week because of the large number they are expecting.
‘You do not take any food or anything, only your blankets and you will only eat meat and pap that will be provided by us,’ said Walenga.
The eight northern traditional authorities are Ondonga, Oukwan
yama, Uukwambi, Ombadja, Ongandjera, Ombalantu, Uukwaluudhi and Uukolonkadhi.
Source: The Namibia Press Agency