Geingob funeral: Damaras feel left out

Edward !Aoxamub, the vice-chairperson of the /Khomanin Traditional Authority, says his people felt left out of major arrangements around late president Hage Geingob's funeral, adding that crucial funeral rituals and traditions of the Damara tribe were downplayed.

Geingob was laid to rest on Sunday at Heroes’ Acre just outside Windhoek.

During an interview with Namibian Sun, !Aoxamub said when the news of the late president's death broke, they expected an invitation from government to determine how the funeral would be organised.

"I must emphasise that especially in this country, there are people who downplay the cultures and the traditions of the Damara people. We are all equal in terms of cultures and traditions in Namibia," he said.

He further claimed that throughout the funeral proceedings, the Damara people’s cultural heritage was completely ignored.

"We are very respectful of the decisions that led to the way the funeral was conducted. However, what we want to bring across is that he was born from a Damara family. We as Damara people have a unique way of burying the dead," he said.

Not a proper send-off

!Aoxamub added that he feels the Damara people had little to no time to perform their unique rituals and to give the late president a "proper send-off".

"The whole funeral was handled as if this African son was a British or American man," he said.

According to him, Damara people are not buried in confined spaces, like the mausoleum Geingob’s remains were placed in at Heroes’ Acre.

Instead, they have separate graves for everyone, he said.

"We have a belief that each person's grave, when visited, should be distinctively seen as the place where they rest. Without any time restrictions and conditions. African leaders should not shy away from their traditions and beliefs," he added.

The vice-chairperson further said the directors of proceedings were supposed to be informed of certain rituals to allow the Damara people to give Geingob a befitting send-off.