Lize-Mari Ras
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From the Horse’s Mouth – Namibia

Namibia, a country in southwest Africa, is distinguished by the Namib desert along the Atlantic Ocean coast. The country is home to diverse wildlife, including a significant cheetah population. The capital city of Namibia is Windhoek.

How are birthdays celebrated?

Birthdays are celebrated well. People bake or buy cake, soft drinks and beer and prepare food and celebrate with family and friends.

When you first meet someone, how do you greet them?

We greet people with a smile and then a handshake, or with a handshake and a kiss on both cheeks.

What languages are spoken in your country?

People in Namibia speak many languages including Afrikaans, English, Herero, Oshiwambo, Nama/Damara, Rukwangali, Tswana, German, Khoe Khoe Gowab.

What side of the road do people drive on? What do we need to know about driving in Namibia?

In Namibia we drive on the left-hand side of the road. The speed limit in town is 60km/ph and on the highway it is 120km/ph.

How important is punctuality?

Extremely important!

That probably comes from the German influence…

What types of music are popular? Who are some of your most popular musicians?

Local and International genres that are popular are Hip Hop, R & B, Soul, Afro-pop, House and Kwaito.

Some popular local musicians:

  • Gazza – watch and listen here.
  • The Dogg – watch and listen here.
  • Lady May – watch and listen here.
  • EES – watch and listen here.

 

Are there any traditional dances?

There are so many! Have a look at the videos below to learn more about them.

  • Oshiwambo – watch and listen here.
  • Tswana – watch and listen here.
  • San – watch and listen here.

 

What traditional festivals are celebrated in your community?

Only a few of Namibia’s cultural events are open to outsiders. These include Independence Day on the 21 March, which is probably the most important day on most Namibian calendars. Independence festivities occur in every village, town and city and will often include singing and dancing as well as the obligatory speeches by members of parliament.

Maherero Day occurs in Okahandja on the weekend closest to the 26th of August. Thousands of Herero people gather in traditional dress for a memorial service to their chiefs, this is a spectacular and fun occasion. If you are going to be in Namibia around this time it is worth visiting this festival, tours are often arranged from Windhoek.

Namibia also has several German style beer festivals the two most notable being Oktoberfest which takes place in Windhoek during late October and WIKA (Windhoek carnival) which happens in April.

What are your seasons like?

With 300 days of sunshine on average per year, Namibia is truly a sunny place. Summer is from October to April and temperatures can reach 40 degrees Celsius (104º Fahernheit), which fall at night to cool levels. Average monthly temperatures range from 20 º C to 34º C in summer. Average minimum winter temperatures range between 6°C and 10°C and average winter day temperatures between 18°C and 22°C. The rainy season lasts from October till April.

What are Namibia’s major industries?

The largest industries in Nambia that contributes towards its economy is fishing, mining, manufacturing and agriculture. Namibia is rich in natural resources such as uranium, zinc, copper, lead, gold, silver, tin, marble and granite. The mining industry brings in half of the country’s foreign earnings.

How do people spend their free time?

People spend their free time drinking, interacting, and bonding at social gatherings.

What do people drink?

Namibians drink traditional beer, wine, homemade ginger beer, whiskey, and brandy.

What is a popular local dish?

Oshiwambo Chicken, Mahangu porridge and dried spinach are a favourite throughout the country.

The staple food of the north-central regions is mahangu (a kind of pearl millet that is cultivated in the northern regions). The grain is pounded in mortars with long wooden pestles and cooked into a stiff porridge, oshimbombo, to be eaten with a variety of accompaniments – from chicken, ondjuhwa; wild spinach, ekaka; and bean sauce, oshigali, to mopane worms, omagungu, when available.

What do you pay for?

  • (USD1.00 = approx. N18, 70)
  • A cup of coffee will cost approximately 32 N$
  • A can of Coca Cola will cost approximately 15 N$
  • A 2-Course meal for 2 people at a midrange restaurant will cost approximately 630 N$
  • A loaf of bread will cost approximately 13 N$
  • 1 litre of milk will cost approximately 21 N$

 

Security – in general?

Namibia is a very peaceful nation. People have freedom of speech and movement. Good security and infrastructure are in place, but do exercise caution at all times like in any other country.

 

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Written by Eloise Williams

Edited by Saudika Hendricks

Contributions by Mirinda Subes

Lize-Mari Ras
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From the Horse’s Mouth – Cameroon

Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon on the Gulf of Guinea, is a Central African country of varied terrain and wildlife. Its inland capital, Yaoundé, and its biggest city, Douala, are transit points to ecotourism sites as well as beach resorts like Kribi – near the Chutes de la Lobé waterfalls, which plunge directly into the sea – and Limbe, which is home to a wildlife centre.

How are birthdays celebrated?

Birthdays are either celebrated quietly with a cake and a few friends and family members, or a feast is organised in which friends, family, and colleagues are invited to rejoice with the person celebrating. Birthday feasts are usually organised over weekends.

When you first meet someone, how do you greet them?

In Cameroon, it is not polite to offer a handshake to a person who is your senior. The junior will say good morning or afternoon and wait for the senior to offer his or her hand. It is not also advisable to shake the hand of a senior person whilst wearing a cap or hat – while your right hand reaches out to the hand being offered, your left hand should be used to remove the hat or cap.

What languages are spoken in your country?

French and English are the two official languages in Cameroon. The country has ten regions, eight are Francophone and two Anglophone. While these are the two official languages, Cameroon is home to about 230 ethnic groups and each group has its own language. Therefore about 230 local languages are spoken in Cameroon.

What side of the road do people drive on? What do we need to know about driving in Cameroon?

In Cameroon people drive on the right-hand side of the road. Driving is generally different from one town to another. In Douala, the commercial capital, driving is very hectic. You must have a valid driving license, of course, and your car must be in good condition. We also have lots of motorbikes which makes it difficult to drive as they don’t really respect rules and regulations. The roads are not good, even in the major cities such as Douala and Yaounde. It is quite common to be stuck in traffic for anything from two to four hours at any given time.

How important is punctuality?

Punctuality is commonly not very important and ‘’African Time’’ is the order of the day. Most people will generally be 30 minutes to 1 hour late and will routinely blame traffic jams for this. For official and government appointments, however, you are expected to be punctual.

What types of music are popular? Who are some of your most popular musicians?

Makossa and Bikutsi traditionally used to be the popular music forms in Cameroon. The advent of globalisation, however, brought many musical genres to Cameroon. For example, hip-hop, R&B, Congolese rhumba and music from Nigeria.

Some musicians presently popular in our country:

  • Petit Pays – Watch and listen here.
  • Manu Dibango – Watch and listen here.
  • Richard Bona – Watch and listen here.
  • and Charlotte Dipanda – Watch and listen here.

 

Are there any Traditional Dances?

As mentioned earlier, Cameroon has more than two hundred ethnic groups and each group has their own traditional dance. Here are examples of a couple of traditional dances:

  • The Bakan Pygmies Dance – Watch it here.
  • The Assiko (Bassa traditional dance) – Watch it here.

 

What traditional Festivals are celebrated in your community?

  • The Batanga community of Kribi celebrates Mayi on the 9 of May every year – Click here to watch.
  • The Duala community celebrates Ngondo each year on the Wourri river shores – Click here to watch.

 

 

What are your seasons like?

Cameroon has two seasons, a rainy and dry season. In the southern part of the country, the rainy season lasts up to nine months – generally April to November/December. Interestingly the 4th most rainy city in the world, Debudscha, is found in the Southwest Region of Cameroon.

And the dry season lasts only three months,  generally from December/January to March.

In the northern part of the country the dry season can last about ten months while the rainy season can last just two months.

What are Cameroon’s major industries?

Agriculture is the major industry (cocoa and coffee mainly but also vegetables and fruit). Other industries that contribute significantly to the economy of Cameroon is oil, gas, manufacturing, finance and trade.

How do people spend their free time?

In cities, people spend time in their homes with occasional visits to friends or family and trips to Limbe and Kribi over weekends during the sunny season. Whilst in the rural areas, people spend time chatting about politics and many other topics over a bottle of white wine or locally made spirit. People also like gossiping – we call it kongossa in Cameroon.

What do people drink?

What people drink in Cameroon depends on their pockets. The majority go for locally made drinks like white wine made from palm tree (matango) or locally made spirits (odontol, arki). Meanwhile those who can afford it drink beer – some favourites are Guinness, Heineken and Kadji. South African wines are also quite popular.

What is a popular local dish?

It is very difficult to pinpoint one popular dish in Cameroon. Each region may have one or two popular dishes. However, Poisson Braisé/Roasted Fish, which can be seen below, seems to be a dish found nationwide.

And the very popular breakfast of Beignets Haricots/Puff Puff & Beans (Puff Puff or Pof Pof are fried balls made mainly from flour and yeast and they are yummy).

What do you pay for?

  • (1 USD = XAF 603)
  • A cup of coffee in a restaurant will cost you approximately 880,00 XAF.
  • A can of Coca Cola will cost you approximately 750,00 XAF.
  • A 2-Course meal for 2 people at a midrange restaurant will cost you approximately 45 500,00 XAF.
  • A loaf of bread will cost you approximately 362, 00 XAF.
  • A litre of milk will cost you approximately 1 390,00 XAF.

 

 

Security – in general?

People visiting the far north, north Adamoua and eastern regions of Cameroon should be mindful of their safety. The Boko Haram group and rebel groups from the Central African Republic have made these areas unstable. The rest of Cameroon, however, is generally relatively safe and the main cities, Douala and Yaoundé are very lively with people enjoying going out at night. The surrounding cities like Kribi, Limbe, where people like go to relax and enjoy the sea are also safe.

 

To read more exciting blogs, please click on the link below:

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Written by Eloise Williams

Edited by Saudika Hendricks

Contributions Jacob Kuh and Benjamin Nwall

Lize-Mari Ras
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From the Horse’s Mouth – Tunisia

Tunisia is the northernmost country in Africa and its name is derived from its capital city, Tunis, located on the country’s northeast coast. Tunisia is a beautiful city, rich in ancient history and culture.

How are birthdays celebrated?

It is common to celebrate birthdays at home with family and friends or out at a hotel or restaurant.

When you first meet someone, how do you greet them?

If it is for the first time, we shake hands. Otherwise with friends and family we kiss on the cheeks – twice and sometimes four times – we are a tactile nation.

What languages are spoken in your country?

Mainly Tunisian Arabic and French. English is spoken sometimes for official purposes.

What side of the road do people drive on, and what might we need to know about driving in Tunisia?

Our cars are left-hand drive, so we drive on the right side of the road. How do we drive – judge for yourself.

How important is punctuality?

Punctuality is important to us. People might arrive for parties a little late but never for business meetings.

What types of music are popular in your country? And who are some of your most popular musicians?

Most people listen to Oriental and Folkloric genres of music. Some famous Tunisian artists are:

Are there any traditional dances?

There are traditional folkloric dances of which the origins can be traced as far back as the Ottoman empire. An example of oriental dance usually performed in Tunisia places emphasis on the movements of the pelvis in rhythm to the beat, the movement the swinging of the arms, and the movement of the feet in rhythm, transferring weight onto the right leg or left. You can watch an example of the Tunisian Moldova by following the link.

 

What traditional festivals are celebrated in your community?

Two of the most popular are The International Festival of Carthage and the Kef Chante La Tunisie. The International Festival of Carthage is the longest-running festival in North Africa, having been established in 1964. This year, the event celebrates its 50th anniversary, which will be celebrated by seven major performances. Besides the acclaimed local and international singers from a variety of jazz, fashion and folk genres, the festival sets the stage for a great selection of ballet and dance shows as well. The event is also held in an open air and refurbished Roman Amphitheatre that seats up to 7500 people.

What are your seasons like?

Tunisia experiences 4 seasons throughout the year. It is sunny in spring, hot in summer, warm in autumn and cold in winter. In summer temperatures can reach up to 40°C and in winter they can fall as low as 5°C. Sometimes you can experience all four seasons in the same day!

What are Tunisia’s major industries?

Agriculture and textiles. Agriculture is still the mainstay of the Tunisian economy, although oil mining, automotive parts, equipment, and services are some dominant sources of foreign exchange.

How do people spend their free time?

Tunisians enjoy hanging out in coffee shops and travelling. Due to Tunisia being so close to Europe, locals love visiting Italy, France, Spain and Turkey. At home, we love to sit in coffee shops for hours on end.

What do people drink?

Tunisians love coffee, tea, and alcoholic drinks such as beer and whiskey.

What is a popular local dish?

Couscous is Tunisia’s unofficial national dish. It is more than just a staple food for the country. Many families spend time preparing and eating couscous as a ritual and a tradition that binds the generations together. The basic ingredient in couscous dishes is semolina. This is mixed with water and rolled, by hand, to make small grains of various grades. The grains are then steamed over a boiling sauce in a two-chambered pot called a keskes. Once the couscous grains are fluffy and the sauce is cooked, the two are mixed together and served, often with meat or grilled fish on top.

The king of Tunisian cuisine, however, is undoubtedly Ojja. The spicy tomato-based stew is loved by everyone and sold in nearly every working-class Tunisian restaurant. The dish is very saucy, with a rich, spicy flavor. The base consists of tomato paste, garlic, green peppers, coriander, cumin, and a healthy dollop of harrisa. The Ojja is a deep red colour, with two very runny eggs on top.

What do you pay for?

  • (USD 1 = approximately 3.11 TND)
  • A cup of coffee will cost about 3.00 to 8.00 TND.
  • A 2 litre Coca Cola will cost about 3.00 to 5.00 TND.
  • A 2-Course meal for 2 people at a midrange restaurant will cost about 30.00 TND to 50 TND.
  • White bread (125 grams) will cost about 0.11 TND.
  • Regular milk (0.25 litres) will cost about 0.35 TND.

 

What is the general security like in Tunisia? Is it a safe country?

Tunisia is generally calm and secure. Owing to the country’s crystal-blue waters, Mediterranean cuisine and a large variety of budget hotels, Tunisia has always been a prime destination in Africa. However, crime does occur, as it does anywhere else in the world. Most people will warn foreigners to steer clear of the country’s southern borders.

 

To read more exciting blogs, please click on the link below:

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Written by Eloise Williams

Edited by Saudika Hendricks

Contributions by Mariem Khedhiri

Lize-Mari Ras
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From the Horse’s Mouth – Zambia

The Republic of Zambia is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. It shares its borders with the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the North-East, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west. The capital city of Zambia is Lusaka.

How are birthdays celebrated in Zambia?

Zambians love partying with friends at home, and some people will go to a nice restaurant to celebrate.

When you first meet someone, how do you greet them?

We shake hands and we say ‘’Bwanji,’’ which means ‘’hello/How are you.’’

What languages are spoken in your country?

The official language of Zambia is English. It is used to conduct official business and is the medium of instruction in schools. The main local language, especially in Lusaka, is Nyanja, followed by Bemba, Lozi, Kaonde, Tonga, Lunda and Luvale.

What side of the road do people drive on? What might we need to know about driving in Zambia?

Cars drive on the left-hand side of the road in Zambia. Foreigners wanting to drive in Zambia need to be in possession of an international driving permit. The only foreign driver’s licenses that are recognised in Zambia are those from other SADC countries.

How important is punctuality?

I personally consider punctuality to be extremely important because it shows discipline. However, time is sometimes a vague concept in Zambia, and Zambians often have a very relaxed attitude towards punctuality. Meetings and social functions often start late.

What types of music are popular? Who are some of your most popular musicians?

Kalindula is a kind of bass guitar which gives its name to a style of popular music in southern-central Africa. It has its origins in the late 20th century and is very popular in Zambia. It is also quite common in Malawi and Zimbabwe.

You can watch an example of this African genre of music local to Zambia by clicking on this link:

 

Some popular musicians in Zambia include:

 

Are there any traditional dances?

Some examples of our many traditional dances:

 

What traditional festivals are celebrated in your community?

The Nchwala Ceremony is held to celebrate the glorious deeds of the Ngoni tribe. The ceremony starts with the tasting of the first fruit of the year by the chief of the Ngoni tribe. This is followed by lots of singing and dancing. Speeches are given by the members of the community and a grand feast is laid out for the entire community.

Kuomboka – The name of this festival actually means “to get out of the water onto dry ground”. Each year towards the last part of the rainy season as the flood plain of the upper Zambezi valley increases, the Lozi people celebrate a traditional move to higher ground. When the Chief decides that it is time to leave, the signal of drums is given to all the people. They bundle their things into canoes and the entire ethnic group leaves all together. The chief leaves on his flatboat with his family and a crowd of conventionally dressed paddlers. The journey takes around six hours.

What are your seasons like?

There are two main seasons in Zambia. The rainy season lasts from November to April and occurs during summer. While the dry season lasts from May to November and occurs during winter. The country enjoys pleasant subtropical weather for most of the year.

What are Zambia’s major industries?

Mining. Zambia’s economy has grown annually by over 6% in the last few years. This sustained period of growth is due to the mining sector and the demand for copper, which is fueled by the electronics industry. Other minerals are also found in the country, including cobalt, gold, silver and iron ore.

How do people spend their free time?

Some locals enjoy partying while others may choose to busy themselves in church, or church-related activities.

What do people drink?

Mosi, Zambia’s best-known locally brewed beer and Coke products as they are accessible and cheap.

There is also a traditional local drink worth trying called Maheu. It is somewhat gritty and vaguely yoghurt-like but refreshing beverage made from maize meal.

What is a popular local dish?

Nshima is basically a type of thick maize porridge, rolled into balls with your right hand and dipped into a variety of stews known as relishes (ndiwo, umunani). Those who can afford them eat relishes of beef, chicken or fish, but the many who can’t make do with beans, tiny dried fish (kapenta), peanuts, pumpkin leaves (chibwabwa) and other vegetables such as okra (ndelele), cabbage and rape.

Ifisashi is usually a vegetarian greens and peanuts dish and is traditionally served with Nshima.

What do you pay for?

  • $1 (USD – Dollar) = Kw 20.25 (ZMW – Kwacha)
  • A cup of coffee in a restaurant will cost around Kw30.00. – Kw40.00.
  • A can of Coca Cola will cost around Kw12.00.
  • A 2-Course meal for 2 people at a midrange restaurant will cost around Kw500.00.
  • A loaf of bread (500g) will cost around Kw20.00.
  • A litre of milk will cost around Kw24.00.

 

What is the general security like in Zambia? Is it a safe country?

Zambia is definitely one of the safer countries in Africa. Most of the crimes that occur in Zambia are petty crimes such as bag snatching, scams, and theft. Zambia is also relatively safe for women, however, it is a conservative country so be advised to dress modestly.

 

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Written by Eloise Williams

Edited by Saudika Hendricks

Contributions by Paul Masuwa