Association of Namibians in the UK (ANUK)

ANUK World Aids Day. Dec 07
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”WORLD PEACE TOUR 4CHILDREN"
concert in Windhoek  Namibia

Fellow Namibians,

President of ANUK: Theresia !Gorases

I would like to use this opportunity to thank all Namibians, nationally and internationally who have shown interest and support in the operations of ANUK. It has been a challenge uniting our people, but you have all made it possible by being instrumental in being the leaders in assisting and indeed a partner in mobilizing the Namibian community and showing unity, not only in the UK but also across the globe.

The final draft of ANUK Constitution has been implemented. The document defines and outlines ANUK’s current structure, as well as our operational policy and practice. Copies are available on request.

The capacity in the organisation is growing, and our aim is to work towards meeting individual needs, by creating opportunities and empowering Namibian Nationals to achieve good quality life, both academically and socially. I am proud to say that Namibians are caring and loving people, and this you have demonstrated through showing unity and solidarity. Let us continue to show this through all our dealings.

ANUK recognises the work undertaken by individuals, and organisations that have contributed to sparking a new era in Namibian initiative. Organisations such as, Huisen Ltd, responsible for regrouping Namibians under a common umbrella, Hoadadi for making use of modern technology, empowering all Namibians all over the world to communicate at the click of a mouse, and spreading information about activities organised by ANUK.

I would also like to express my gratitude to the High Commissioner and Consulate, for the continual support and guidance.  As Namibian Nationals in the UK and under the banner of the Association of Namibian Nationals in the UK (ANUK) we pledge our support to your policies of reconciliation and growth and promise that in our daily conduct we will strive to be good Ambassadors of our beautiful country, Namibia.
I thank you all.

Theresa !Gorases

President of ANUK and Republic of Northern Ireland.

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Current ANUK Committee
President:           Theresa !Gorases
Vice President:   Cecil Tjitemisa
Secretary:           Vacant          
Treasurer:           Ben Cloete
Fundraiser:         Annaco Tjijombo and Victor Kahitjikika
PRO:                 Tuko Gurirab

Current ANUK Board Members
Ham Riruako
Moctar /Gaseb
Delilah Nuwuses
Mberipura  Hifitikeko
Dacky !Nuwuseb

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They live in one of the least developed and most isolated areas of the country, where there is a single tap for the whole community, no electicity, difficult access to health and educational facilities, a very basic diet and no source of financial income. International exposure for their music, dance and heritage holds the key to the betterment of the lives of their entire community.  

More details on the group that will be touring can be found here. We are currently in contact with NGO’s operating in Namibia, including WIMSA, UNDP, NACOBTA, Omakehe San Trust, The British Council and The Global Diversity Foundation,   developing a collaborative strategy to support the development of the !gubi Family and their community with the ulimtate goal of acquiring some land on which the community can live in peace and safety.

Indigenous people

Indigenous people is an London based NGO that supports indigenous arts, music, dance, film and culture through marketing and managing tours around the UK and Europe.  We believe that while many indigenous communities suffer considerable economic and social exclusion, displacement from their ancestral lands and a gradual erosion of their culture, they embody a wealth of spiritual and environmental knowledge that is of great value to the post-industrial West. The organisation therefore seeks to empower indigenous communities to harness the economic potential of their culture so as to promote indigenous led economic, social and cultural development at home.

One of our groups, The Kakatsitsi Master Drummers from Ghana, the first of our success stories, have been operating in the UK for the past 11 years. Though they come from a highly impoverished community in the heart of Accra and recently their domestic economic conditions at home have vastly improved – school and hospital bills have been paid and new houses built on the back of 8 successful UK tours. In 2003, the worked with the Drop the Debt Campaign at the Genoa G8 summit and more recently with The Make Poverty History Campaign in Edinburgh, where they led the march around the city. 

Indigenous People is currently negotiating with the Ghanaian Government and other local agencies in Accra to set up a Community Development Centre in their hometown of JamesTown, at the heart of Old Accra, where many of the best drummers and dancers are to be found and home to many other leading cultural and spiritual figures.  We hope to replicated this model and successs with our new group, the !gubi Family.

UK tour Aug-Sept 2008

The !gubi Family will be coming to the UK for their first tour in August-September this year. This tour will provide a fantastic opportunity to create employment for the group and generate income to benefit the community at home.  It will also be apowerful vehicle for promotion of particpating sponsors as they will not only be exposed to an extremely large and varied audience but sponsors will be seen to be aligning themselves with an extremely ethical and socially responsible cause. The exposure generated on the tour will also serve as a promotional tool to attract potential investors and supporters to the casue of supporting indigenous communities in Namibia, as well as attracting tourists who will be interested in visiting the San in their mother country.  

The tour will comprise a combination of  Festival performances, including the Edinburgh Mela and Orkney International Science Festival, schools workshops and  performances at various community halls.  Projected audience figures can be found in the tour budget, attached as Appendix A.

Itinerary

Debbie Rivett

As a Zimbabwean born film-maker, musician and development worker, I have long been interested in supporting work that seeks to empower empoverished and marginalized African communities.  Through Indigenous people, I have found a vehicle that supports these aims on many levels. 

While visiting Namibia prior to their recent visit, we compiled some footage that has been edited into a short promotional film about the family. This piece is being developed into a series of 6 five minute films looking at the family’s life at home, the issues and struggles they face, the meaning of their music and culture and a fascinating insight into their lives and traditions. This film will be shown as part of the performance at all the tour events and will serve as both an educational and entertaining tool for audiences to understand the social context of the music and dance. The Community Channel has already expressed interest in broadcasting this and a documentary of the  tour and we are approaching other broadcasters with taster tapes to gauge their response and stimulate their interest, with initial responses to the idea being very encouraging!

Kindly sponsored by

San musicians and dancers
From the Namibian Kalahari

The !gubi family are an enchanting group of traditional musicians and dancers from the San people of The Kalahari Desert in Namibia, keepers of the ancient musical traditions of their culture and a true family ranging in age from 18-80. The !gubi Family and the San community in general live in desperately empoverished circumstances, mostly due to a change in their traditional hunter-gatherer lifestyle and consequent displacement from their ancestral lands.

Jericho - Lights out
£12.00