Most Bizarre African Culture: Namibian Tribe Uses Wives as Cola [Must Read]
27 March 2015 0
SHARE TWEET

I remember having heard something like this sometime ago, but I never paid serious attention to it feeling its virtually impossible. But on a second thought, I decided to find out the credibility of such weird practice. Lo and behold, its absolutely true that a tribe in Namibia have a cultural practice in place which they call “wife swapping”. The practice, referred to as “Okujepisa Omukazendu”, is common among Ovahimba and Ovazimba tribes in the Kunene and Omusati regions, a nomadic tribe in Namibia. These communities are largely isolated from the rest of the country. They have resisted the trappings of modern life, they keep livestock, live off the land and practice ancestral worship. Many still reside in pole-and-mud huts and both men and women go bare-chested. The phrase, ‘Okujepisa Omukazendu’, literally means, ‘offering wife to a guest’. It is a practice, whereby a man decides to please a friend or a highly esteemed guest by allowing him sleep with his wife the night of his visit.


That particular night, the husband has to sleep in another hut altogether and in a situation whereby there is no other hut or room, he will sleep outside. Imagine such an absurd practice! This practice has been in place for generations in these Namibian communities. It started raising some global dust when Mr Kazeongere Tjeundo, a lawmaker and deputy president of the opposition Democratic Turnhalle Alliance of Namibia made a move towards soliciting for enshrining it into the Namibian Constitution. He argued that it should be made legal with some reasons which he felt are enough. Hear him:

It’s a culture that gives us unity and friendship, it’s up to you to choose [among] your mates who you like the most … to allow him to sleep with your wife, We just need to research more on how the practice can be regulated.

The headman of Oukongo village, Uomiti Ruhozu, also said their is no reason why they should discontinue the ancient custom of sharing wives. He said HIV/Aids can also be contracted by cheating spouses not in open relationships. According to Ruhozu, most men and women in Namibia already have more than one partner whom they meet secretly, but the Ovahimba and Ovazimba men take away that secrecy aspect to relieve their wives of stress and the fear of being caught cheating.

Mr Kazeongere Tjeundo


face2faceafrica

They do not see it as any big deal, some say it helps to strengthen their friendships and reduces promiscuity, while others avow that it brings in variety, thereby making their marriages stand the test of time. It is left only in the discretion of the man to decide who to offer his wife to or not. The malignant aspect of this obscure practice is that the wife has very little or no say in the matter, she has to humbly and wholeheartedly submit to the arms of the man she is offered to whether she likes him or not. Worse still, Namibia is a country where almost 20% of her entire population are living with HIV/AIDS.

The chief of the Otjikaoko Traditional Authority, Uziruapi Tjavara, is also strongly defending the customary practice of sharing wives with friends, despite its high potential of spreading HIV-AIDS. Hear him:

Sharing of wives is a unique traditional custom that smothers jealousy amongst both sexes, and strengthens friendships. Hence, I advocate its continuation, together with HIV-AIDS education to minimize infections.


It is quite surprising to discover that some women in these communities give full support to the continuation of the abusive practice of “Okujepisa Omukazendu”. Hear what one of them said:

I did it this year, she said, and “I have no problem with the arrangement”. It’s good because it’s part of our culture, why should we change it?

Notwithstanding, the truth must be told. A lot of critics see this practice as rape since there is usually no mutual agreement http://answersafrica.com/most-bizarre-african-culture-namibian-tribe-uses-wives-as-cola-must-read.html

Lubbish

this guy ahead of me is an overtaker. back to the topic that is impossible

sinaj:


Lubbish

you no like am ni ?

Hmmmmm.

Laye ti mo wa! Ori mi ma je n goh sha.

The guest no go like chop my cola now, E fit drink coke sha.

Mr Op, Namibia is far fetched.The TIV tribe here in Nigeria are practicing it.

Do they swap husbands too?

And what constitutes 'adultery' in those places?

#justcurious because if they swap husbands too and there's nothing like adultery... *clears throat*

Utchgirl:
Mr Op, Namibia is far fetched.The TIV tribe here in Nigeria are practicing it.

That is not true!

stag:
Do they swap husbands too?

wife swappin wud be more fun...hehehhe

I thought this happens somewhr in benue state

lots of nonsense everywhere

donbenedict:
I thought this happens somewhr in benue state

very false...

Dem go receive me tire

Hmmm

tohpahz:
Hmmmmm.

it been practice in kogi far back

Total rubbish but anyway those pple loves their culture dat way if not dey would have find solution to it btw op what if d wife get pregnant in d process of swapping,who will b d father to d child?

missbehave247:
Hmmm it been practice in kogi far back

That'ssomehow ooo

prettythicksme:
Total rubbish but anyway those pple loves their culture dat way if not dey would have find solution to it btw op what if d wife get pregnant in d process of swapping,who will b d father to d child?

it becomes a community affair..do u think it is just one couple that raises a child in africa.The community is involved oh!

The tiv's in nigeria used to practice this, dont know if they still practice it.

why? because say cola no dey market? I will just offer his dead body as cola to d vultures

Deiok:
The tiv's in nigeria used to practice this, dont know if they still practice it.

go and try it with tiv people and see wht will happen to u...

tablu:
go and try it with tiv people and see wht will happen to u...

Are you a Tiv ? See they way you are taking personal.

Thank God am not a Namibian.


Proudly Nigerian.




Meanwhile



Tohpahz for miss Nairaland

Deiok:

Are you a Tiv ? See they way you are taking personal.

no am not tiv neither am I takin it personal but it has been a renowned fallacy that has persisted for decades with no iota of truth...

tablu:
no am not tiv neither am I takin it personal but it has been a renowned fallacy that has persisted for decades with no iota of truth...

Ok sir i am sorry, maybe i was wrong. But i know there is an indigenous tribe in eastern nigeria that practice it, and i am very sure of that.

some cultures needs to be wiped out

na wa for black men

sinaj:



Lubbish

Alant nonsense.... compound stupor

tablu:
That is not true!

The tivs hv bin doing it since d time of Adam. Civilisation help dem to curtail it. Bt it seems d timid ones among dem are still practicing it.

me too don here say tiv dey do am tey-tey.

me too don here say tiv dey do am tey-tey.
i dnt knw bt i feel my life would have been much better if i had lived in ancient rome.
doz people like d tin die.