• By Michael Uugwanga

THE secretary-general of the Namibia Traditional Sports and Games Federation, Jan Marais has told Confidente that the federation is going to showcase various traditional sports at the upcoming Nama Festival. The festivities are scheduled to take place from 29 May to 01 June 2025, in Keetmanshoop. The sport codes to be displayed are Amagoes (fill up the bottle), Owela (traditional chess), Skululu (traditional cricket), Uma (jumping the rope) and many others.

The Federation is recognized by the Namibia Sports Commission (NSC) and aims at reviving traditional sports that are slowly fading away and that they are played at both national and international levels. It is against this background that Namibia received a formal invitation to participate in the Southern African Traditional Games Exchange in South Africa scheduled for later in the year. 

It has further emerged that next year will see Namibia hosting the Africa Cup of Traditional Sports, bringing together different countries to showcase their unique traditional games. “We are busy sourcing funds in order to have the traditional games played at the Nama Festival in Keetmanshoop. We want to revive the traditional sports that most of us used to play when we were kids,” said Marais.  

“As a national body devoted to preserving and promoting Namibia’s rich heritage, the Federation is gaining momentum both locally and regionally with exciting initiatives planned for 2025,” he added.  This will not be the first time that Namibians get to see the display of traditional games as last month the games were featured at the Windhoek /AE//GAMS Cultural Festival. Marais further indicated that other events slated for later this year includes schools competitions in collaboration with the Namibia Schools Sport Union (NSSU).

“One of our flagship events this year is the upcoming School-Based Traditional Sports Tournament, taking place later this year. 
“This spirited event will feature four core categories: Traditional Dancing, Board Games, Team Games, and Traditional Soccer. Schools from across the country will be participating, showcasing both skill and cultural expression,” Marias noted.

According to him, the tournament not only aims to promote healthy competition and teamwork but also encourages the youth to connect with their roots through meaningful participation in ancestral games.  The federation can be reached on email at traditioncultural@gmail.com or +264 81 865 7971. Windhoek City are occupying eighth place with 22 points, one point adrift of seventh place holder Julinho Athletic. 

UNAM Bokkies have 24 points in sixth place, a point behind fifth placed side Arrows. The bottom two teams at the end of the season are expected to be relegated at the end of the season, and will be replaced by two new teams come next season.