Otuzo twOvaherero

Otuzo twOvaherero provides
valuable information on Ovaherero patriclans and records folklore and
praise poems in Otjiherero. Previously, these did not exist in written
form. The book attempts to preserve these oral traditions before they
disappear. It aims to restore pride to the Ovaherero, particularly in
patrilineages that were displaced by the Ovaherero-German war of
1904-1907.

Otuzo twOvaherero is structured around the Ovaherero patrilineal descent system (otuzo) which is the basis of the Ovaherero religion Oupwee.
The surnames and homesteads that belong to the same patrilineage are
grouped together under each patriclan to help the reader to easily trace
the homesteads that belong to one patriclan (and thus have a common
ancestry). The distinct features of each patriclan are specified in
terms of totems, taboos, patriclans which collaborate, and praise poems
of homesteads.

All the patriclans and praise poems in this book
were collected from Ovaherero communities living in Namibia. The author
uses the term ‘Ovaherero’ to include the various groups which speak the
common language Otjiherero and which include the Ovahimba, Ovaherero,
Ovatjimba and Ovambanderu.

This book has the potential to promote
unity within the Ovaherero community by showing how families are
connected in lineages which trace back centuries.