The opening of gates to the 15th Olufuko Annual Cultural Festival to exhibitors and the public on Monday marked the welcoming of the Olufuko brides at the Olufuko homestead. 

Organisers say 121 initiations from different traditional authorities are expected to take part in this year's initiation, a notable increase from previous years.

Member of the Olufuko Organising Committee, Fillipus Shililifa, says the number of participants has grown significantly, rising from 38 initiates when the festival was first held in 2012 to 121 this year.

"To Olufuko we are going to have, or we'll be having, about one hundred and twenty-one girls that will be going through the initiation ceremony. It is a very good thing that we have to preserve our culture. When we started way back, we started with about thirty-eight girls. But now if you are looking at the number we are having this year, which is 121 compared to the 38 when we started, it's showing that there indeed is a significant growth, which is a very good thing."

Shililifa noted that while the initiation of young women remains central to the event, Olufuko plays a vital role in boosting Outapi's local economy.

With over 150 exhibitors, including traders from Angola and Nigeria, the festival is creating new business opportunities and strengthening the local economy.

As the first-time exhibitor at the Olufuko Festival, Naftal Shilongo says the event provides an important platform for local companies to showcase their businesses and connect with the community.

"Festivals like this are very important to us because they showcase, they make the nation aware of our companies, of our existence. So bringing people together always is very important, and we feel like it's an honour for Oshilongo Leather to be part of Olufuko."

This year's programme will feature new activities like horse racing, boxing, the Little Olufuko Village for educational purposes, well-known games, and many more fun-filled activities.

While activities begin on Monday, president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah will officially open the event on Friday.