How Ethnicity Is Formed
Omuhoko / Otjiuana / Ethnicity Formation
- Male
– Omurumendu & Female – Omukazendu
Ethnicity begins with a man (omurumendu) and a woman (omukazendu). - Nuclear
Family – Omuhoko mbuza momurumendu nomukazendu
These two form a nuclear family consisting of husband, wife, and their biological children. - Extended
Family – Ovakwate vomurumendu, vomukazendu, ovanatje wovanatje vao
Several related nuclear families come together to form an extended family. - Patrilineal
& Matrilineal Descent – Oruzo (father line) & Eyanda (mother line)
- Oruzo:
the patrilineal line passed from the father.
- Eyanda:
the matrilineal line passed from the mother.
These descent lines organise families into structured social units. - Clan
– Omaṱunḓu/ ngena ondando imwe
Families who share the same oruzo or eyanda form a clan (omaṱunḓu). - Tribe
– Eṱunḓu/otjiwaṋa
Ovandu mbena ombazu imwe, ongaro imwe, novitjitwa vimwe nu wina vekara pamwe.
A tribe is made up of clans who share the same traditions, customs, values, and live together as a community. - Ethnicity
– Omuhoko
Omuhoko ehika ovandu avehe muve wanena.
Ethnicity refers to the larger social identity that unites all related tribes and clans under one people.
Ovaherero Ethnic Group and Dialects
The Ovaherero ethnicity is composed of several closely
related groups who share a common ancestry and cultural heritage, but speak
different dialects of the broader Otjiherero language:
People and Their Dialects
- Ovaherero
→ speak Otjiherero (main language)
- Ovahimba
→ speak Otjihimba (dialect of Otjiherero)
- Ovatjimba
→ speak Otjitjimba (dialect of Otjiherero)
- Ovambanderu
→ speak Otjimbanderu (dialect of Otjiherero)
Key Point
All these dialects, Otjiherero, Otjihimba, Otjitjimba,
and Otjimbanderu, belong to the same language family, with Otjiherero
as the main language. Thus, all these groups fall under the Ovaherero
broader ethnic group.
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