In a Kraal

Ovamboland, northernmost Namibia, February, 1995

Smashing corn

The mother of the Kraal showed her hospitality by offering us one of her chickens

Greeting in Oshindonga (the dialect spoken in Ovamboland)

Greeting is very important in Ovamboland. According to tradition, an older person or the master of the house greets the younger person or the guest first. The following examples follow the longer formula. Knowledge of at least the basics of greeting will open many doors in Ovamboland. Mentioning the name of the person (or eg. meme for mother) is a necessity. Note that even though the translations may convey a humorous image of the nature of the conversation, they really should not:

1) they illustrate the essence of the African interpretations of " time"and "community"

(In this the greetings are quite different from the American How ya doin´?, which is a strange question indeed as it is too impatient for a proper answer, always settling for "good" ... Very strange to Finns, who, should they actually make a question like that (instead of just saying "hei", would definitely want to know how the person was doing.)

2) they are taken out of cultural context and translated almost verbatim (from Finnish)

3) How should one translate "How do you do?" into Oshindonga? Should one start from "How are you?" or "Pleasure to meet you."

A brief course in Oshindonga:

In the morning

A: Wa penduka? (Have you got up?)

B: Ee.(Yes)

A: Owa lala po tuu? (Have you slept?)

B: Ee. (Yes)

A: Nawa? ((and have you slept) well?)

B: Ee.

A: Ee.

B: Ngoye owa lala po tuu? (And have you slept?)

A: Ee.

B: Nawa?

A: Ee.

B: Ee.

In the morning (alternative way)

A: Wa penduka? (Have you got up?)
B: Ee. (Ngoye wa penduka wo?Have you got up as well?)
A: Owa lala po tuu? (Have you slept?)
B: Ee.
A: Nawa? (Well?)
B: Ee.
A: Otamu yi tuu kondje? (Are you going out?)
B: Ee.
A: Itamu gomboka? (You are not sick?)
B: Awe. (No we are not)
A: Otamu zi mo ngaa nawa? (You will get out (of the huts) without trouble?)
B: Ee.
A:Itamu tindile mo? (You will not refuse to come out?)
B: Awe. (No we will not)
A: Otamu yi tuu kondje? (Will you come out?)
B: Ee.
A: Ee ( Or: Iyaloo. (Good)
B: Ngoye wa lala po tuu?
A: Ee.
B: Nawa?
A: Ee.

B: Ee.

 

At noon

A: Wa shilwa po? (Have you spent the noon?)

B: Ee.(Yes)

A: Nawa? ((and have you spent it) well?)

B: Ee.

A: Ee.

B: Ngoye owa shilwa po tuu? (And have you spent it?)

A: Ee.

B: Nawa?

A: Ee.

B: Ee.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After noon

A: U uhala? (Have you spent the day?)

B: Ee. (Ngoye u uhala wo?Have you spent it as well?)

A: Ou uhala po tuu? (I wonder if you have spent the day?)

B: Ee.

A: Nawa tuu? (And well?)

B: Ee.

A: Uusama? (Any cause for concern?)

B: Awe. (No, there isn't)

A: Ombili ngaa? (Is peace (on your mind)?)

B: Ombili ngaa. (Peace is)

A: Omukwetu shila? (~Have you not spent the day?)

B: Awe. (No, I have spent the day.)

B: Ou uhala po tuu? (I wonder if you have spent the day?)

A: Ee.

B: Nawa tuu? (And well?)

A: Ee.

B: Ee.

In the evening

A: Wa tokelwa? (Have you spent the evening?)

B: Ee. (Ngoye wa tokelwa wo?Have you spent it as well?)

A: Owa tokelwa po tuu? (And you have spent the evening?)

B: Ee.

A: Nawa tuu? (And well?)

B: Ee.

A: Ee.

B: Ngoye owa tokelwa po tuu? (I wonder if you have spent it?)

A: Ee.

B: Nawa?

A: Ee.

B: Owa mono po yeni ano? (Who did you see?)

A: Awe. (No one.)

B: Ongoye awike ngaa? (So it's only you?)

A: Ongame awike. (It's only me.)

B: Ee.

Youth

Today's youth have shortened the greetings:

A: Onawa? ( Everything fine?)

B: Nawa (nawa). (Very) fine

A: Ongiini? (How is it?)

B: Aawe, onawa (ngaa). (There's nothing (to complain about), I'm all right.)

 

Parting in the evening

A: Lala po nawa (Sleep well)

B: Eewa. Ka lale po wo nawa. (You go and sleep well too)

A: Ee.