Tribesmen and women from the !Aman clan, a sub-tribe of the Nama people, gathered at Aus settlement in the ||Kharas Region to pay tribute to their fallen heroes during the clan's annual cultural festival. 

This year's festival is being held under the theme 'Faith, Love, and Hope'.

Gaob Johannes Frederick, addressing his subjects, implored them to continue fostering social cohesion.

He says the annual gathering should no longer be just business as usual.

"The !Aman Cultural Festival should not be and cannot be business as usual; my vision is that it must become a goal-oriented and highly interactive platform, which no. 1 offers opportunities for celebrations, cultural renewal, and reinforcement of various social norms and values to be observed in society. The inclusion of plenary discussions of genocide, !Aman submission to the Ancestral Commission, !Aman Customary Law, reflection on the !Aman 10 years from now where actions are pointing us in the right direction."

The festival, says Frederick, must increasingly incorporate and speak about sustainable empowerment activities that will better the lives of the !Aman people. 

Also speaking on the occasion, ǃNamiǂNûs Regional Councillor Susan Ndjeleka urged the !Aman people, as the first settlers of Luderitz, to position themselves to benefit from envisaged developmental projects at the southern harbour town.

"Your clan, your community, must take its rightful position in the envisaged developmental programmes like the Green Hydrogen, Oil and Gas Exploration, and Kelp Blue production intended by the government of Namibia and under the able leadership of His Excellency Dr. Hage.G. Geingob, which is part of the Harambee Prosperity Plan II, NDP5, and Blue Economy Policy soon to be implemented."