Day of Indifference

Monday was the 20th anniversary of Namibia's independence. During breakfast on Saturday, while I secured my staph infection (see previous post), Namibians lined up along Independence Ave to witness a military procession. It was emceed by a man in fatigues and a red beret, who announced the providence of each and every vehicle that passed before us. Those made on home soil received the loudest cheers.

From the veranda of the dining room, I snapped pictures of these massive vehicles and their stoic handlers. Apparently the president was two flights beneath us. Near impossible for me to get a shot.

The parade was simple, understated. But it was also eerie. What seemed acceptable on this street would freak me out in the US. It's more than enough to have the NYPD roaming and rampaging. The thought of tanks on Fifth Ave... I'll stick with the Hibernians and Puerto Ricans, even the go-gos on Bacardi floats.

Nevertheless, when I overheard a cheeky tourist guide (a British ex-pat) refer to it as a "Day of Indifference," I wished that he'd been somewhere underneath those tanks.

Later, I shared the indifference tidbit with a Namibian of Dutch/German descent. He chuckled. I asked this colonialist what changed for him after independence. Did it mean anything? He said that there had been an increase in luxury taxes. Alcohol, cigarettes, etc., were more expensive. But, not to worry, most people could still afford them. Up to now, this was the most amiable white Namibian that I've encountered. (Reserving judgment has been extremely difficult. Ill-will and hostility seem to be carefully honed attributes, or maybe it's just good ol' xenophobia.)

Today, on my way to work, a co-worker pointed out a government residence reserved for dignitaries and the like. He said that, many years ago, a Black person could not walk in front of the building without being assaulted by its security. He would be required to walk on the opposite side of the street. I asked him, on which side of the street would he walk today. He said that he was indifferent.

Further up the road, he noted a large statue that occupies a roundabout in front of a Spanish-style church and just across a lawn from the Namibian Parliament. It is an imposing figure, now, and then, apparently. This statue was erected to celebrate German dominance over the region, including the genocide of the Herero and Nama peoples. The Namibian government has plans to relocate the monument. But there is resistance from some Namibians. (Guess which ones?) For some more history...