Cultural expressions and indigenous language communications are intertwined with cultural identity and dignity, building the socio-cultural foundation of communities and enriching global cultural diversity. Namibia prides itself on a rich cultural diversity which is celebrated annually at selected cultural events yet lacks an established cultural industry and entrepreneurship that promotes livelihood through artistic creations. The creation of favourable conditions for digital empowerment, media and digital cultural productions, alongside other expressions in indigenous languages has been identified as a priority among the different generations.
Challenges
Strategies
Leverage Media to disseminate Indigenous language artefacts
Actions |
Actors |
|---|---|
| Partner with Mass media (radio, TV,) for dissemination of community cultural productions (music, films) | NBC,.. |
| Encourage Social media use to promote Indigenous languages and Indigenous knowledge | |
| Establish and support Community broadcast stations (training, equipment, income generation) | Ministry |
Celebrate Indigenous language with events and activities
Actions |
Actors |
|---|---|
| Support cultural events (logistics, finances and partnerships) | Local government, Cultural org |
| Recognise and remunerate cultural performers | Local government, Cultural org |
| Conduct roadshows, trade fairs, language contests, story-telling festivals, to celebrate Indigenous languages and Indigenous knowledge | Local government, Cultural org |
| Support Indigenous Knowledge fairs | Local government, Cultural org |
Support co-creation of campaigns to promote cultural justice in Indigenous language and educate broader society
Actions |
Actors |
|---|---|
| Support design and implementation of campaigns to promote the use and preservation of Indigenous languages and Indigenous knowledge | |
| Facilitate community workshops/seminars/forums about cultural rights, dignity and language diversity | Ministry, NGO, Community members |
| Support co-creation of promotional materials (flyers, video clips) |
Create digital cultural artefacts to revitalise Indigenous languages and Indigenous knowledge
Actions |
Actors |
|---|---|
| Support creation of digital artefacts with finances and equipment | Ministry |
| Support the production of digital artefacts (podcast, dramas, animations, music, films) | University |
| Support the design and implementation of digital cultural games | University |
| Create and integrate cultural digital assets for communication platforms (hunting emoticon) |
Promote cultural digital industry and cultural entrepreneurship
Actions |
Actors |
|---|---|
| Offer training for digital producers (graphic design, radio presenters, media editing, AI, journalism, ) | Subject experts, Educational institutes, |
| Offer training for cultural event managers, business planning and development, financial management | Subject experts, Educational institutes, |
| Establish incubator programmes for cultural entrepreneurs | Incubators, Business mentors, Cultural organisations |
Initiatives
Lets dance /Hi//Ka//Kusi with non-player character Ju/’Hoansi women in Virtual Reality
The Donkerbos Ju/’hoansi community has co-created a Virtual Reality (VR) experience of their traditional dance, /Hi//ka//kusi, a celebration of rain, food, and prosperity, accompanied by a song of laughter. This dance, primarily performed by the women of the community, embodies their cultural values of joy, unity, and gratitude. The VR experience preserves and promotes the Ju/’hoan language, as the song and interactions are presented in the community’s native tongue, ensuring the survival of their linguistic traditions. It also safeguards the indigenous knowledge embedded in the dance, capturing its significance as a communal celebration and cultural expression. Through this collaborative effort, the community has created an immersive way to document and pass on their heritage to future generations while maintaining its cultural authenticity.
Ju/’hoansi Community broadcast in Donkerbos
The Community Broadcast Project is a transformative initiative aimed at empowering the Donkerbos community by creating podcasts through content creation platforms like Mighty Network. The project seeks to address socio-political challenges through sharing oral traditions and contentious issues of a local community with a wider rapidly transforming society. The primary goal is to provide an alternative to traditional journalism, enabling community members to share their content and have a meaningful voice in the public sphere. The community broadcast platform, an integral part of the project, allows individuals to create and share various media content, including audio, video, pictures, and text. This platform serves as a means to disseminate cultural heritage practices, indigenous knowledge, everyday stories from the bush, and socio-political statements, engaging a wider audience in a dialogue for socio-cultural justice and safeguarding cultural heritage, including indigenous languages.
