FMD tests love

Traditional authorities say ‘eat chickens’

Weddings do not have to be celebrated without meat.

Against the backdrop of the current foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak in Namibia, containment regulations permit families to slaughter livestock where the animals are kept, but moving them from one place to another remains restricted.

This is according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform.

Ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda says people may slaughter livestock at home for weddings and other events, provided the animals are already at the venue where they will be slaughtered and consumed.

“Generally, transportation is not allowed. So if you’re killing an animal and you’re eating right there, that’s fine,” he says.

Muyunda says people are not permitted to transport livestock from one farm or area to another for slaughter, and wedding parties in the ||Kharas region may not slaughter livestock for their festivities.

“The restrictions are still imposed in the ||Kharas region. No slaughter should happen for that,” he says.

This comes as veterinary services this week relaxed some livestock restrictions, although the ban on movement remains in place following last week’s announcement of an FMD outbreak.

‘VIOLATING RITUALS’

Some traditional authorities, however, say the restrictions are violating rituals and traditions such as lobola.

Lobola is a traditional custom involving that a prospective groom gives his bride’s family assets, such as cattle.

Ongandjera Traditional Authority spokesperson Shiimi Shangula says a wedding should not be delayed or cancelled simply because the movement of livestock has been restricted.

He says families could slaughter alternative animals such as chickens or pigs, while those who need cattle could obtain them from neighbours and friends.

“And if there is nothing, you can always slaughter a chicken or a pig if it is the only option available,” he says.

Shangula says a wedding can also go ahead without meat if no animal is available.

The chief of the Okamatapati settlement in the Otjozondjupa region, Rumbe Uazukunani, says wedding rituals that require the slaughtering of cattle can wait while FMD restrictions remain in place.

‘NO ONE WILL DIE’

“The rituals can be relaxed. When you get married, a cow must be slaughtered.

Nobody will die if we postpone the wedding. But these financial implications are heavy on farmers,” he says.

Ovaherero traditional activist Banga Veseevete says owning cattle is not only seen as wealth in the Ovaherero culture, but also forms part of traditional practices around marriage and weddings.

He says some marriage rituals require animals to be brought from one family to another, saying restrictions on their movement could prevent families from completing these practices.

“These restrictions could very much jeopardise our traditional practices and freedom of movement, even through marriage,” he says.

Veseevete says certain aspects of an Ovaherero wedding are important in terms of connecting the two families and completing the wedding according to tradition.

“If this part is absent, it sounds as if we did not do our rituals completely,” he says.

He says veterinary offices already have systems in place to control livestock movement through permits and animal health requirements.

Veseevete believes authorities should find ways of protecting livestock from disease without unnecessarily disrupting cultural practices in areas where they can safely be moved.

!Khara-Khoen Nama sub-clan gaob David Hanse says although livestock movement restrictions could affect traditional weddings and other cultural activities, communities should comply with the measures.

He says this presents challenges for cultural practices that involve livestock, but believes preventing the disease from spreading should currently be prioritised.

“As a leader, I would advise that we first look at the situation and encourage our people to follow the regulations,” he says.

Hanse cautions communities against breaking veterinary regulations for the sake of continuing traditional activities.
“Tradition will not disappear.

Tradition will remain, but the disease can come to an end if we handle it correctly,” he says.

Meanwhile, Ombandja Traditional Authority senior councillor Kaleb Hamwele says the country must adhere to the rules to prevent the spread of the disease.

“It’s not easy, and we don’t have a choice. We just have to adhere,” he said yesterday.

Oukwanyama Traditional Authority senior councillor George Nelulu yesterday asked why movement is restricted in the northern regions when the disease was detected in the ||Kharas region.

He said one can, however, get a permit from the veterinary office to move livestock.

Ongandjera Traditional Authority spokesperson Isdor Kanelombe says the restrictions are putting financial pressure on families, as they may need to buy more cattle if the cattle they previously bought in the south can no longer be transported.

STRAINED UNIONS

Hompa Alfons Kaundu of the Mbunza Traditional Authority says some people have farms in the south and the Kavango regions, and need to transport cattle for their children’s weddings.

He says this could break up relationships and put pressure on those who rely on livestock for survival.

Over a 1 000 weddings take place in Namibia every year.

Shilonga Namtenya and Julie Nakanyala, a couple from Outapi, are expected to get married during the second week of next month.

Nakanyala says their traditional wedding preparations require a cow to be taken to her family, but the restrictions have left the family in limbo.

“This has left our family unsure whether we will be able to get the cow there without the police confiscating it,” she says.

MENUS UNDER PRESSURE

Catering business owner Michelle Tjikune says the FMD restrictions have forced her to cancel orders, change menus and rethink her business as access to meat becomes difficult.

Tjikune, who runs NokooTheChef, says she has had to cancel her braai plate orders on Friday.

“I simply could not get the quality of meat I normally use for my customers,” she says.

Tjikune says she is considering introducing different meal plans and more affordable options to replace some of the income normally generated from her braai plate sales.

“As a small caterer, I don’t have a huge financial cushion to fall back on. With the cost of living already being high, losing even one major weekend of business has a real impact,” she says.

Chef and food business owner Tala Ashipala says beef prices have increased since the restrictions were introduced, while some meat cuts have become difficult to source.

“When the cost of our main ingredients increases, we are eventually forced to either absorb the additional cost, reduce our profit margins or increase our menu prices,” he says.

Ashipala says he understands the need to contain FMD, but believes the impact on chefs, caterers, restaurants, butcheries, suppliers and consumers should also be considered.

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