Staff Reporter
IN the culture of the Ovawambo people, a baby carrier (odikwa) serves not only to provide comfort and support for the baby but also to allow the mother or any other caregiver to keep their hands free as they go about their everyday tasks. Odikwa holds sacred significance, representing one of several tokens a man provides to acknowledge his paternity of the baby. Other tokens include naming the child, presenting a traditional beaded necklace, and performing the ritual cutting of the baby’s hair.
According to Aune Sheelongo, a 75-year-old resident of the Uupindi informal settlement in Oshakati, the importance of odikwa in Oshiwambo culture is such that its loss scandalizes the entire community, and the perpetrator — whether the mother or baby carer — faces severe scolding.
Sheelongo explained that at home, when odikwa is not in use, it is kept in a safe place together with the baby’s bag. When not used outdoors, it is fastened firmly around the mother’s or carer’s waist.
However, incidents of missing baby carriers do occur. One such incident happened over the weekend when an odikwa was found lying on the pavement at the Game complex in Oshakati. It has since been hung on the fence behind Coca-Cola to be easily visible to passers-by.
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