Traditional Marriage and Cultural Significance Among the Ovaherero People: Insights from Mr. Tjijeura

 

Traditional Marriage and Cultural Significance Among the Ovaherero People: Insights from Mr. Tjijeura

I am just an ordinary Omuhimba man with not much knowledge. I possess skills like my fellow Ovahimba people. I used to be called "Dr. of Wisdom," but I only have the wisdom of listening and transcribing what I hear. As a Himbacracy Philosopher, a term coined from Omuhimba rule based on Ovahimba principles, it concerns reality and truth. It focuses on the quality of being genuine or real, emphasizing authenticity, legitimacy, and truth, often rooted in Himba traditions. Studying the history and culture of the Ovaherero people, particularly in Kaokoland, reveals that every aspect of our culture holds deep significance. Our culture shares many customs with the broader African context, which I'd like to educate you about at another time. However, today, I want to discuss a topic Mr. Tjijeura mentioned to me two weeks ago concerning the concept of community property in the context of marriage, known in Otjiherero as "Orukupo rombapira ongara/ondumbu," meaning the marriage of the yellow paper.

I inquired about the yellow paper marriage with Mr. Tjijeura, who strongly opposes it. He also opposes the new Namibian marriage known as "Orukopo ro-theme," meaning the marriage of theme, but we will save that topic for another discussion. Mr. Tjijeura expressed his inability to grasp the significance of court marriage with an attached yellow paper from the court, as it lacks proper meaning in the context of Namibians and Africans in general. He argued that many marriages lack the blessings of our ancestors, which is why they often do not endure. In fact, just last week, approximately 100 couples filed for divorce in a single day. This illustrates that many people enter into marriages without truly comprehending the terms and conditions involved. The root of this issue, Mr. Tjijeura believes, lies in our overvaluing of Western culture to the detriment of our own.

According to Mr. Tjijeura, our ancestors' marriages were always within the village, ensuring that everyone shared the same culture, which facilitated mutual understanding. In contrast, nowadays, some people are compelled to enter into marriages that are not aligned with their culture, leading to the instability and eventual dissolution of these unions. Many women, he observed, marry for status and financial security rather than genuine love. Mr. Tjijeura's perspective is that marrying someone who does not understand their own culture or that of others is akin to a black person aspiring to become white—a fundamental disconnect.

Marriage, he emphasizes, is intrinsically linked to our ancestral roots. Failing to follow the proper procedures, including obtaining a strong blessing from the holy fire, or lacking the approval of our ancestors, renders such marriages destined to falter, in Mr. Tjijeura's view. He pointed out that not all families are suited for marriage; some individuals are naturally more inclined towards other paths. Due to their troubled history or other factors, these individuals may struggle to maintain a marriage.

In a lighter vein, Mr. Tjijeura humorously mentioned that some women, despite their mothers and grandmothers never marrying, still insist on marrying. He playfully questioned where the notion of marriage would come from if none in their family lineage had ever embraced it.

 

The Himbacracy Philosopher