Mythologies of the Kavango People

The Kavango people, also known as the vaKavango or haKavango, are a Bantu ethnic group that resides on the Namibian side of the Namibian–Angolan border^{[citation needed]} along the Kavango River. They are mainly riverine living people, but about 20% reside in the dry inland. Their livelihood is based on fishery, livestock-keeping and cropping (mainly pearl millet). The Kavango Region of Namibia is named after the people. In traditional politics they are divided into five kingdoms (Kwangali, Mbunza, Shambyu, Gciriku and Mbukushu), each headed by a hompa or fumu, both meaning "king". Traditional law is still in use and legitimized by the Namibian constitution. The Kavango people are matrilinear. The most common language spoken is RuKwangali (in Kwangali and Mbunza territory); also spoken are Shambyu, Gciriku, and Mbukushu in the corresponding territories. Their religion is mainly Christian although traditional elements still have a place. During the harvest season in April the vakwangali people eat (mafumpura) a tuber like plant which is dug from the soil when it starts to crack. Their kitchens are built outside houses which they call (masuga) the roof of this kitchen is mainly thatch. Their staple food is mahangu porridge. Mahangu is believed to have nutritional values as it also used to make a drink called (sikundu). Ekoro is a very important social relation in kinship systems of Kavango. It may be roughly referred to as an extended family, but it is more than that. It is a social relation dominantly rooted in clan and it is not necessarily determined by blood connections. The clans are ranked according to seniority, and whoever belongs to a junior clan (irrespective of age) is deemed young by those in the senior clan. There is a command of respect and high level of obedience towards the senior clan. Other people can also become clan members by seeking allegiance due to various unifying circumstances such as floods or war.

Kavango, geographic region, northeastern Namibia. It is separated mostly by the Okavango River from Angola on the north, includes the western part of Namibia’s Caprivi Strip to the northeast, and is bounded by Botswana on the southeast and by the Owambo (Ovamboland) region on the west. Kavango covers an area of 16,100 square miles (41,700 square km). A generally flat area, it lies at an elevation of about 3,600 feet (1,100 m) above sea level and usually receives about 20 to 24 inches (500 to 600 mm) of annual rainfall. Patches of tall grass interspersed with bush scrub and trees develop into forests of Rhodesian teak, mahogany, and mopane in the east. Big-game species are abundant and include elephant, buffalo, roan antelope, and impala, and there are crocodiles and tigerfish in the Okavango River. Nearly all of the region’s settlements are located along the Okavango, which is subject to frequent flooding. The Bantu-speaking Kavango people, who are the main inhabitants of the area, comprise six different tribes. They practice dryland cultivation of cereals, as the irrigation potential of the river has not been utilized. Some cattle are also raised. The western part of the Caprivi Strip is inhabited by bands of San (Bushmen).

En Route to your accommodation in Namibia you will notice a thriving roadside trade in beautiful woodcarvings, baskets, clay pots and ornaments. The carvings are largely the work of the Kavango men who are skilled at transforming the dolfwood of the Kalahari sandveld into a variety of ceremonial drums, musical instruments and household items, while the women weave baskets and make clay pots and ornaments, which they sell to visitors with grinning enthusiasm. These people reside in the Kavango region of Northern Namibia on the Angolan border along the Kavango River, which is named after them. The river is pivotal to their survival and they grow crops on the narrow strip of fertile soil alongside it, graze their cattle on the flood plains, fish the river extensively and hunt the wild animals that live there. Five tribal groups, each headed by a king, can be distinguished amongst the Kavango and these kingdoms are further grouped into clans and matrilineal family groups. All political, social, economic and religious functions of society are performed within the framework of these groups. The lineage consists of both male and female members, but the line of descent is only traced through females. This means that should a man hold a hereditary political position, it is passed on to his sister’s eldest son and not his own children. Kavango traditional law is legitimized by the Namibian constitution.

Kavango (before 1998: Okavango) was one of the thirteen regions of Namibia until it was split into the Kavango East and Kavango West Regions in 2013. Its capital was Rundu. In the north, Kavango bordered the Cuando Cubango Province of Angola, and in the southeast the North-West District of Botswana. Because of its rather higher rainfall than most other parts of Namibia, this region had agricultural potential for the cultivation of a variety of crops, as well as for organised forestry and agro-forestry, which stimulated furniture making and related industries. The region was characterised by an extremely uneven population distribution. The interior is very sparsely inhabited, while the northernmost strip, especially along the Kavango River, has a high population concentration. Largest urban settlements were the capital Rundu and the towns of Nkurenkuru and Divundu.

Forming the border between Namibia and Angola for more than 400km is the Okavango River, lifeline of the Kavango people, who make a living from fishing, cattle farming and cultivating sorghum, millet and maize on the wide fertile plains on either side. Closely related to the Owambo, the Kavango also originate from the large lakes ofEast Africa. They first settled near theKwandoRiverinAngola, moving south of theOkavangoRiverbetween 1750 and 1800.Today the Kavango consist of five individual tribes. Each tribe is ruled by a traditional chief or chieftainess, assisted by headmen. The chief has the overall ruling power over his tribe and custodial power over the land that falls within the jurisdiction of that tribe. The traditional economy in Kavango is based on a combination of horticulture and animal husbandry. An important local industry is woodcarving. Much of the population growth in the Kavango has been due to immigration from Angola. The main town in the Kavango Region is Rundu, situated on the banks of the Okavango River. This is the home of Namibia’s well-known Kavango woodcarvers. Their ancient craft, handed down over generations, is a flourishing industry today. Wooden carvings are made ad offered for sale at the Mbungura Woodcraft Cooperative, which has its main workshop and office in the town. Rundu is much more than a refueling stop. Situated in the north-eastern corner of Namibia this rapidly growing town is the main administrative center of the Kavango region. As frontier town, Rundu is set to become the hub of trade and development in the north, especially with rebuilding efforts in Angola and the Trans-caprivi highway that links the country and its main port in Walvis Bay to the rest of Africa. With its diverse cultures and people, comes the skills and talents to develop Rundu into a dynamic commercial centre.

The Kavango people, who are closely related to the Aawambo, originated from the Great Lakes region of East Africa. They settled on both sides of the Okavango River after migrating south. Archaeological excavations place the arrival of the earliest settlers at around the 1600s There are considerable cultural differences between the five Kavango communities. Each community inhabits its own traditional area and is ruled by a traditional chief or chieftainess, assisted by a council of headmen. The Vakangwali and the Vambunza, the two western-most communities, have similar social practices such as preparing young boys for manhood and young girls to take care of a household. The Vashambyu and Vagiriku inhabit the central areas, while the Hambukushu is the easternmost community. Rukwangali, the most common language, is spoken by the Vakwangali and Vambunza. Shishambyu is spoken by the Vashambuyu and Thimbukushu by the Hambukushu. The Kavango people on the land practice a mixed economy of subsistence crop farming and animal husbandry. More than 60% of the population live within 5 km from the Okavango River which usually reaches its peak in February or March. Once the water has subsided pearl millet, sorghum and maize are cultivated in the fertile ground. Other crops planted include beans, pumpkins and groundnuts. Dryland crops of cereals, which are dependent on rains, are cultivated further inland, while cattle and goats are also kept.

The Kavango River in north eastern Namibia forms part of the border between Namibia and Angola and also serves as the focal point of the Kavango people. The major center in this region is the town of Rundu. There are about 140 000 Kavango people in Namibia, and they can be broken into five groups, Mbukushu, Sambiyu, Kwangari, Mbunza and Geiriku. The traditional home of the Kavango people is the Kavango East and Kavango West regions in north eastern Namibia. Traditionally Kavangos make their living from fishing, cattle, and the farming of sorghum, millet and maize. The Kavangos are closely related to the Owambo people and both are thought to have originated in east Africa. Each tribe is headed by a traditional chief, who is assisted by headmen. The chief has power over his entire tribe and is responsible for the allocation of land. Although the Kavango chiefs are always male, the system is mostly matrilineal. The Kavango regions are well known for its wood carvers, and the Kavango are responsible for the majority of wood carvings you will find in Namibia.

The Kavango tribe is an ethnic group that is primarily found in the northern regions of Namibia, particularly in the Kavango East and Kavango West regions. The Kavango people have a rich cultural heritage and traditions that have been passed down from generation to generation. The Kavango people have a vibrant and diverse culture that is expressed through their language, music, dance, art, and cuisine. The Kavango language, which is also known as Mbunza, is spoken by over 300,000 people in Namibia and Angola. It is a Bantu language that is related to other languages spoken in southern Africa. The Kavango people have a strong tradition of oral storytelling, which is used to pass down their history, myths, and legends from generation to generation. They also have a rich tradition of music and dance, with many different styles and forms of expression. The most well-known of these is the “Kavango dance,” which is a lively and energetic dance that is performed at weddings, festivals, and other celebrations. The Kavango people have a traditional religion that is based on the belief in a supreme being and the spirits of ancestors. They also have a deep respect for nature and believe that all living things are interconnected. The Kavango people also believe in the power of witchcraft and sorcery, which is used for both good and evil purposes.

The Kavango Region of Namibia is dominated by the Kavango River and its broad floodplains, which makes the area considerably greener than the rest of Namibia. The Kavango River forms a natural border between Namibia and Angola for more than 400km and is the lifeline to the Kavango people. The people make a living from fishing, tending cattle and cultivating sorghum, millet and maize. The Kavango people originate from the large lakes of East Africa moving to Kavango between 1750 and 1800. Today the Kavango Region consists of five tribes each led by a traditional chief and assisted by a traditional headman. In the Kavango Region is the wild and undeveloped Khaudum Game Park. It covers 384,000 hectares and is home to animals such as antelope, elephants, zebras, wild dogs, lions, leopards as well as 320 bird species. However game numbers vary considerably as the park is unfenced enabling animals to follow their natural migration routes. Because the roads can be so poor the best time to visit is during the dry winter months, June to October, but even then a four wheel drive vehicle is essential. Bordering the Kavango River is Mahango Game Reserve. It covers 244km2 and is characterised by riverine forests, abroad floodplain, magnificent Baobab tree and large herds of Elephant and Red Lechwe. The game park also harbours rare game species such as Buffalo, Sable, Roan, Bushbuck, Reedbuck, Tsessebe and Sitatunga. It is also home to over 400 bird species and is one of the only game parks in Namibia where unguided walking is permitted. The Kavango River with its rich fauna and flora is one of the main tourist attractions in this north eastern region of Namibia. This river is quite unique in that it is the only perennial river in Africa that flows eastwards without reaching the ocean. After a journey of more than a thousand kilometers, it drains itself in the endless sands of the Kalahari basin forming the magical Okavango Swamps in Botswana. Activities presented for tourists on and along the Kavango River include fishing and bird viewing excursions, canoe and sundowner boat trips, quadbike trips and microlight sightseeing trips.