CRAYFISH FESTIVAL

The biggest event in the Lüderitz Calendar took the town by storm in the form of the second ever Crayfish Festival. Held over the long Easter weekend, beginning on the 9th April and ending on the 12th, the festival was both a chance for local businesses and talent to showcase themselves, and an excuse for the good, the bad and the ugly amongst us to stuff their bellies to bursting point with food and drink. Our roving reporter took to the stands to find out just what exactly went on. Whilst various events happened all over town the majority of the festival took place at the Waterfronts Harbour Square and it is here that I headed to catch the best of the fest. Stalls crowded the spacious waterside square all selling a delicious array of braai meat, cakes, ice cream, traditional Ovambo dishes and of course seafood. Walking amongst the hustle and bustle of the festival, absorbing the smells of spiced chops and fresh calamari, hearing the sizzle of crayfish on the grill and the sight of tables groaning under the weight of cool drinks and cakes, it has never been more evident how important food is in creating a Namibian event, nor how expert they are at cooking it. In addition to the refreshments available there was also the Lüderitz SME Expo which gave local businesses a chance to show off their wares; hand made jewellery, real leather sandals, traditional Herero dresses and woven baskets and mats, were just a few of the goods available to browse and purchase, showing off the versatility of the Bucht community. However, on Saturday the 11th the majority of the crowds attention was focused inside a large tent which took up a third of the space in Harbour Square. Inside crowds waited with bated breath, nervously watching the entrance for the arrival of the guest of honour, the First Lady herself. Dressed in a stylish suit of light blue and silver and delicately adorned with a pink carnation, Madam Penehupifo Pohamba was every bit the perfect guest as she applauded the live music of UNAM and LSS choirs (see page 16 for more info) and graciously declared the festival…begun! Buchter highlights: One of the most impressive additions to this months festival were the ‘Crayfish Ambassadors’, a troupe of over 40 young people dressed in bright orange, who dotted and darted through the crowd organising stalls, keeping the peace, picking up the inevitable piles of litter and naking sure the toilets were kept clean; a fantastic show of organisation from the festivals committee and from Lüderitz’s proud youth.

WHAT DOES THE FESTIVAL MEAN FOR LÜDERITZ?

‘Lüderitz is one of those places that has everything’ said Hon Councillor Mr David Schoombe as he stood amongst Ministers and Council members from across Namibia, and, from the ideas in almost every speech given throughout the Crayfish Festival, it is clear that the annual four day event is hoped to continue to make Lüderitz the place to be. In a speech to the general public on the Saturday of the festival her Worship Ms Emilia Amupewa, clad in a fetching loose green dress with gold print and small patent leather pumps, remarked that the Crayfish festival was designed to “showcase the beauty of this town, explore business opportunities, stimulate regional growth and lure more visitors”. This is the idea emulated by Mr Dawid
Boois, the Regional Councillor for the Karas region, who gave the following interview: What was the purpose of the Crayfish Festival? The festival is designed to encourage and motivate economic growth from small and medium businesses within the community as well as helping to boost tourism in the area. Do you think that the festival will have a wider impact not just on Lüderitz but on the rest of Namibia as well? Yes, I believe that the festival will help to benefit those across Namibia who have helped with marketing and resources. I also think that if we manage to adequately market the event we may attract more overseas visitors each year. How do you think the tourist industry has changed over the last few years? I feel that it has grown enormously; Lüderitz itself is definitely the fastest developing town in the Karas region and has seen the creation of the Waterfront and numerous guesthouse in its recent history. I think with the opening of the Sperrgebiet Lüderitz’s industry can only increase further. Do you think then, that Lüderitz will not be negatively affected by the global credit
crunch? With its ideal location and unique landscape Lüderitz holds the biggest tourist attraction in Southern Namibia and I believe that this status is unlikely to change over the next few years. I predict that within 2 years the tourism industry will have taken over from mining as the biggest producer of income in Lüderitz. Finally, do you like crayfish? Unfortunately I am allergic to shellfish but I do have a weak spot for Hake!