Namibia plans to build cultural village to boost tourism

Namibia plans to build cultural village to boost tourism
The Namibian government is planning to establish a cultural village at the site of a historical tree at Kapako in the Kavango Region in order to boost tourist arrivals.

The Acacia Eriolab thorn tree, known in Rukavango as "Munyondo gwaKapande" is about 20 times thicker than a normal thorn tree.

It is situated some 30 km west of Rundu in the Kapako constituency.

According to local media, a powerful drum-beater who was known locally as "Munyondo gwaKapande" climbed into the tree while beating his drum, and disappeared.

The sound of the drum is often heard coming from the tree in March during the harvesting season, which is also the month when he disappeared into the tree.

Once the cultural village becomes a reality, the tree would become the site where its story would be showcased to visitors. It would also be a way to preserve the area's rich oral history.

A curator within the Ministry of Youth, National Service, Sports and Culture in the Kavango region Helvy Mbwalala quoted by Nampa on Saturday said the management committee of the envisioned cultural village received over N.dollars one million from the Millennium Development Goal funds (MDGs) earlier this year.

Mbwalala, who is also part of the organizing committee involved in setting up the village, said the architectural design of the cultural village at the historical site has already been approved by the Culture Ministry.

She said they have already erected a fence around the historical tree, and now intend to establish water and electricity infrastructure before the actual construction starts at the heritage site.

Once completed, the cultural village will house Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) stalls, a theatre, different Kavango households, an area for story-telling and a parking lot. It will also harvest local natural resources for selling to the general public and tourists.

None of the Kavango Region's various historical sites are recognized by the National Heritage Council of Namibia. Some local historians have thus advocated that it is high time that the region's oral history is documented and recognized.

Editor: Mo Hong'e

English.news.cn   2011-11-19 19:33:13 FeedbackPrintRSS
WINDHOEk, Nov. 19 (Xinhua)