End of Year Message 2012

 

'' hard work after Joy ''

I did not know that 2012 will be quickly approaching us and come to an end; I would like to thank those who had supported me over the past year. This has been a milestone year for me where I had been fully working in Kunene Region and being involved fully in Community Based Range land and Livestock Management Project implementation.

 I would like to ask forgiveness to my friends whom I did not chat to more often during 2012. Hopefully in 2013 our communication will improve and we will update one another.

 This year’s Christmas was so special; I went to Okakarara area in the village suited 60km away from Okakarara town called Okanguindi at Bocky’s homestead. On the 24^th December 2012 I had participated in well organised marathon at Okanguindi running for 9km. that was a fun day marathon organised by Hungiree Billawer and we had a great day of fun, eating and drinking.

 Given the holidays and being near to the end now, I am looking towards maximum impact from myself and friends, family and co-workers in whatever we are undertaking during 2013.

 People in USA special my friends in Nebraska and Maine I will not forget you all because you are the one who made me the great Uapii of this decade. One day oceans will meet and I will shake hands with all of you, that is my dream and target.

 In conclusion, my great thanks is going to my GOPA-CBRLM colleagues for their enormous support and respect towards me and their hard work which sometime make my work easy.

 Again, I thank all of you for your encouragement and support, and wish you a great New Year. 

Tate Ben

Outokotorua : is where we spend our second night and the next day we draft grassing plan map which will be used by herders as to rotate cattle in different area in order safe perennial grass and regrow. This is like rotational grazing in camps but here we don't have camps we use people to herder cattle in different places . Father Ben is detecting ground water using a mopane tree branch, moving from far distance and if he comes to the place where water is the stick/branch is dropped from his hand and next to him is Colin Nott rangeland expert observing Ben Kazahe tactic. Ben the man who has spent most of his whole life in natural resources management in communal conservancies in Kunene.

University of Nebraska (School of National resource 2011) tour to the village where I grow up!


I met Dr Larkin Powell in 2009 when he was a guest lecturer at the Polytechnic of Namibia for one year with his family (son Tristan and wife Kelly) and we did a lot of good things together some changes the way think and make me known to the Nebraskan people. In 2010 Dr Larkin and Dr Mark they asked me to be their tour guide for 2011 12 and 22 May in Katutura and my village namely Otjomitjira.
I really enjoyed being with the following students;
Amber, Ariel, Tara, Courtney, Kate, Monica, Ben, Tanner and Uavii Katjivena Muteze (My friend from Outjo) this is a group of death.

The students they had impressed the members of the community and I too. They were so keen to learn about our Himba and Herero culture, lifestyle and they are fast learning. These students really know what their mission was in Africa, the way they were discovering things and their interaction with Namibian people. They were lucky to have their own tour guides (lecturers) who know Namibia better than any other tourist, the expert Dr Larkin who spent full year in Namibia and Dr Mark who had spent his vacation in Namibia for more than 5 years.

We had tour in Katutura on 12 May the day of my friend Larkin birthday and Dr Sam Nujoma (The first black president of Namibian) the next day the group headed south of Namibia. On the 20th May I head to our village to go and organized things, from Windhoek I took public transport (for 570km) to Kamanjab and then to Erwee unfortunately I didn’t make it because it was later then I slept at Erwee the next morning I woke up very early in morning and walked to the farm. The morning of 22 May walked back to Erwee to welcome the students and famous Dr Mark and Dr Larkin.





In the village I was demonstrating Himba, Herero culture and village lifestyle to the students. Let me say something about Americans the group gave me the money to buy for them goat and I did not make a comparison between Africans meat eat and U.S.A. meat eat. My thought was to buy cattle as I was imaging a big group of 20 people plus community members one goat for me I doubted won’t be enough for everyone. Then I decided to buy approximately 60 Kg goat which I thought will be better. Although, will not be enough satisfy everyone. When the meat was ready I started to observe my African people were eating meat like lion and while Nebraskans were eating meat like cat! The members of community they didn’t believed that 20 people will be satisfied for one goat. Wow, we African we eat meet don’t play and even I Uapii don’t think I will survive without meat! Dr. Mark, Dr Larkin handout t-shirts to the Village farmers and that was a good surprise for village people as we had only invited them for dinner but later the end up with t-shirts in their hands. They like the t-shirt as was written ‘’Proud to farm’’. That night we had several discussions around the fire talking about African and American marriage, lion story.

My grandmother prayed for everyone and Dr. Larkin whom she said’’ my son goes and God must bring us together once again’’ Then the group headed to Etosha National Park which is not more 150 Km from our village.
Thank you for reading!

This traditional dance or celebration perform by men during the special occasion. Either they kill a Lion, or at head of the house funeral.

My time in Opuwo.

My internship in Opuwo comes to an end!

I spend half of this year in the town of my birth working at Agra retail store, Opuwo is town situated at North West of Namibia in Kunene region approximately 722 km away from Windhoek. Has a population of 12,000 people (2009) and it is well known by most people because of distinct traditional culture of Himba and scenic landscapes. I did my thesis on customer’s satisfaction at Agra Opuwo on service and products.

I spent most of my time at Agra opuwo, on the first month of my internship/job attachment was packing the shelves and helping to transport 50Kg maize meal on the trolley to load in customer car. The trolley can take a maximum number of 5 to 6 bags of maize which is 250 Km. most of my friends/family they were not happy with what I was doing as they were expecting me to be in suit and sitting next to the computer. One day my mum’s sister she step in store and found me packing the sheft ‘’she ask uapii what why you were studying is to come and packing the sheft oh my God you wasted our money to pay for your school.’’ I didn’t fell back I keep on with my duty. The month later I moved in the office where I was helping with filing, scanning, and issuing quotation to the farmers. And now, I’m working as cashier, to be a cashier at agra opuwo you need to concentrate as a shop is used to be full and we served approximately 1500 people a day and the shop is small. That wasn’t a constraint to me, I keep on working hard on my day end I was working N$9000 on the average. I did lot of translating animal vaccines/feed to the farmers. On my free time I spent most of my time with my teacher friend Uatungisa Muteze, Teny, and my colleagues at Agra. However, it was good to work in my home ground and I had open some of human networking which met help me on future. Opuwo is crime free town compare to other town in the country. I’m going on 24th December to our farm next to kamanjab to join my family for Christmas and organising village visit for guest from Nebraska on May 2011.

Many thanks to everyone who had supported me in Opuwo!

Uapii Kazahe

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