24 Khoekhoegowab (Damara/Nama) Concert Songs, by Niels Erlank and Hans Axasi Eichab

24 Khoekhoegowab (Damara/Nama) Concert Songs, by Niels Erlank and Hans Axasi Eichab. Namibian Music Series, Concert II. New Namibia Books. Windhoek, Namibia 2002. ISBN 9991631577 / ISBN 9-99-163157-7 / ISBN 9789991631578 / ISBN 978-9-99-163157-8

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[...] Song competitions regularly took place in the different Namibian regions, such as the Okakarara region, with teams from Okamatapati, Koblenz and Waterberg competing; similarly in the Khorixas region with teams from Uis, Okombahe and Omaruru taking part, and also in the central region, with regular competitions at Dobra and the Augustineum Training College. These events were organised countrywide with the annual national Interschools Sports Competition being the highlight of the year. However, the most important single event in the history of concerts was without doubt the opening of the SABC's first two local radio stations in 1969. They were the so-called 'language services' Damara/Nama and Herero/Tswana. It was in the interests of the South African government to promote ethnic identity among the people of Namibia. After the proclamation of the so-called 'homelands' in 1968, the local radio stations started broadcasting locally-produced programmes. It was in these years, from the early 1970s, that concert songs were broadcast on a large scale and specific schools and even individual players were highly acclaimed by the public. For example, the concerts at the Cornelius Goreseb High School in Khorixas (then Welwitschia) and the Okakarara High School were extremely popular throughout large parts of the country. Probably the popularity of concert songs also had to do with the fact that they were mostly sung in the mother tongue. At schools with children from different language backgrounds, the concert was a way to identify with one or other group. There were, however, no tight ethnic barriers, as good players were usually welcome to join different concert groups. There are different kinds of procedures at concerts, but typically, a group would have a programme of between eight and twelve songs, which had been well rehearsed with a leader or teacher over the preceding weeks. A master of ceremonies would open the concert and call upon the first group to take the stage. Accompanied by lively audience applause, the first group would move towards the stage, performing a here-we-come kind of song. A jury may have been appointed to closely observe and evaluate the performances. Criteria of evaluation included: appearance, difficulty and co-ordination of steps, players' attitudes, the message of the performed songs and, most importantly, the audience's response. The leader of the concert, or the master of ceremonies, would announce the first song, often a greeting song, whereafter it was performed. Now members of the audience could decide on the next step. By giving some money to the master of ceremonies, they could 'buy' the first group to repeat their first song. Someone else could offer a larger amount, cutting short the first request, by demanding, for example, that the programme should continue with the next group, or by requesting a particular song, or even buying a particular person from the audience to join the group on stage, etc. In this way, funds for the school could be collected in a very entertaining way. When the first round was through, the process started all over again and now, even more than before, the audience would warm up and offer more contributions and requests on how to proceed. Some concert groups might decide to add to their programme a few sketches, riddles or acrobatic acts. With this programme they would go on tour over long weekends or during short vacations, when many children had to remain in the school hostel because their families were living too far away. [...]

This is an excerpt from 24 Khoekhoegowab (Damara/Nama) Concert Songs, by Niels Erlank and Hans Axasi Eichab.

Title: 24 Khoekhoegowab (Damara/Nama) Concert Songs
Editors: Niels Erlank, Hans Axasi Eichab
Series: Namibian Music Series, Concert II
Publisher: New Namibia Books
Windhoek, Namibia 2002
ISBN 9991631577 / ISBN 9-99-163157-7
ISBN 9789991631578 / ISBN 978-9-99-163157-8
Softcover, 30 x 20 cm, 64 pages, numerous music typsettings, 1 CD