Cruising down the Kwando River in northeastern Namibia

By Roxanne Reid
Namushasha River Lodge near Kongola has an expansive bar and dining area on a deck with three levels. It has shady trees and lovely views down onto the river. It was a perfect place to go cruising down the Kwando River in northeastern Namibia.

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​Our skipper and guide was Rector Tetuka, who knew his trees, animals and birds pretty well, attributing his knowledge to his late father. Rector had a high-pitched laugh and a good sense of humour, but was happy to get serious and share his knowledge of the bush and of his Hambukushu roots and culture.

Namushasha River Lodge, where three decks overlook the Kwando River

Relax on the deck at Namushasha and watch the sun set over the river

As we got into the flat-bottomed boat three hippos lurked on the far side of the river, only their eyes and ears showing. We puttered up a side channel and into the main Kwando River, noticing broken reeds that were the work of elephant. ‘Elephants are a big problem for farmers around here,’ Rector said. ‘When the sun is setting farmers light fires to keep the elephants away from their mahango [millet] and sorghum fields. They can also use chilli bombs with a fire on top.’

Baby crocodile at an age when it still looks more cute than creepy

We saw a baby crocodile only about half a metre long, a pair of common reedbuck and some whitefronted bee-eaters at their nest holes in the riverbank. ‘In the rainy season,’ he said, ‘the carmine bee-eaters come and use the same holes.’ Nearby were two bigger holes, home to water monitors.

Whitefronted bee-eaters on the riverbank

A pied kingfisher settled on a branch to deal with the small fish he had caught, bashing it a few times before trying to swallow it whole. But the noise of the boat disturbed him and he flew off, the fish still in his mouth. Rector reminded us that the male has a double collar, the female only one.

​A waterbuck gazed at us intently. We switched off the engine and drifted nearer in silence, the buck not startling for a good five minutes. Other water-loving buck that occur here along the Kwando River are sitatunga and red lechwe, which we saw the following day on our way to Bwabwata National Park. ​

Waterbuck

Water lilies and local culture
​In this riverine world, we learnt a lot about the water lilies that surrounded us. There are two distinct species – the mauve/white ones only open during the day and have smooth round leaves, while the yellow ones open only at night and the leaves have a slightly serrated edge.

Rector picked a dinner-plate-sized serrated leaf and turned it into a conical hat with the help of a piece of stiff grass that he used like a hat pin. Then he plucked an unopened water lily bud on a long stalk. He washed the soil off and began to create a necklace from it, using some skill to fashion ‘links’ from the long stem. 

Rector Tetuka with his traditional carved stick (left) and showing off a water lily hat and necklace he made

​The Hambukushu people use these in wedding ceremonies. The man wears the hat and makes the necklace for his bride. A man should have his own carved walking stick made of kiaat – and Rector was very proud of his intricately carved one. He presents the necklace to the bride on this stick. If she takes it and puts it on then all is well. If she puts it on the ground, it hints at relationship problems and the elders need to be consulted to hammer out a solution. The Hambukushu don’t choose their own spouses, they’re chosen for them by their parents who, Rector assured us, ‘know better’. I wondered how often a bride used this last act of independence to express her opinion of her parents’ choice.

African jacana with lilac water lily buds that turn white when they open

Hands-on style of guiding
​This kind of hands-on approach was a hallmark of Rector’s guiding style. For instance, he told us that the silver clusterleaf (terminalia) always grows in thick sand and its leaves can be chewed to stop diarrhoea. But instead of just saying that the bark can be stripped from young branches and twisted together to make rope, he rolled up his sleeves and made a piece of rope to show how it was done.

The bush holds a wealth of plants with such practical uses – if only you know about them. Leadwood can be used for a hair shampoo and conditioner for your hair. ‘If you burn it and make a paste of the ash mixed with water it makes a nice white paint for your house,’ he said. 

Throw away the devil's thorn seeds, and saponins in the leaves will turn the water soapy

Another practical demonstration involved devil’s thorn. He picked some of the plant, threw away the seeds and plunged the leaves into a bottle with some water. He gave it a good shake. It became cloudy and was soapy to the touch. ‘It’s good if you can’t afford soap, but not many of the people know about these things anymore,’ he said, shaking his head.

A hippo honked far away and an African jacana led her two fluffy chicks along the edge of the river. As the reeds slid by and the sun started to sink into a band of clouds along the horizon, I thought how sad it was. All this age-old knowledge might be gone in another generation or two because youngsters nowadays are more interested in cell phones and smart running shoes than in their culture or the wisdom of their elders.

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