The title Ohungipeki refers to a conversion of oral heritage into
written form. The ohungi session traditionally takes place in the
evening during which oral stories, riddles, taboos, and traditions are
taught to children. This book literally puts the teaching of the evening
assembly in the hand.
The author's rich command of Oshindonga revives archaic words that are
not often used in writings of today and adds linguistic depth to the
record of history and tradition. The book aims to capture significant
information about the past for the sake of new and future generations
(Embo ndika, nando lya nuninwa omuleshi kehe, otali neke unene omapipi
omape...) and introduces readers to stories, forms of greeting,
ceremonies, rituals, praise songs, ethics, fears, expectations, beliefs
and the cosmology of the Aawambo in general and the Ondonga people in
particular. The book will therefore prove valuable not only to
traditionalists, but also to parents, teachers, linguists,
ethnographers, social scientists and students of philosophy, history,
culture and ethics, provided they have an understanding of the language.