amkongo

The title Ohungipeki refers to a conversion of oral heritage into written form. The ohungi session traditionally takes place in the evening during which oral stories, riddles, taboos, and traditions are taught to children. This book literally puts the teaching of the evening assembly in the hand. The author’s rich command of Oshindonga revives archaic words that are not often used in writings of today and adds linguistic depth to the record of history and tradition. The book aims to capture significant information about the past for the sake of new and future generations (Embo ndika, nando lya nuninwa omuleshi kehe, otali neke unene omapipi omape...) and introduces readers to stories, forms of greeting, ceremonies, rituals, praise songs, ethics, fears, expectations, beliefs and the cosmology of the Aawambo in general and the Ondonga people in particular. The book will therefore prove valuable not only to traditionalists, but also to parents, teachers, linguists, ethnographers, social scientists and students of philosophy, history, culture and ethics, provided they have an understanding of the language.