17 schools to take part in heritage and history competition
The Museums Association of Namibia (MAN) will host its 10th edition of its School Clubs and Museum Exhibition Competition (SCAMX) in Otjiwarongo, on 13 to 14 September, at the Out of Africa Town Hotel.
The competition involves school History and Culture Clubs in research and exhibition design and will bring 17 schools from different parts of the country together.
The participating schools for 2017 are: Tsau //Khaeb Secondary School, P.K. Devilliers Secondary School, Khorab Secondary School, Fridrich Awaseb Secondary School, UUkule Secondary School, Ponhofi Seecondary School,Leevi Hakusembe Secondary School, Mureti High School, Romanus Secondary School, Canisaianum Roman Catholic High School, St Boniface College, Angelina Matumbo Ribebe Secondary School, Mupewa combined School, Delta Secondary School, Windhoek Techinical High School, Ponhofi Secondary School and Mount View Secondary School.
According to MAN, through meeting and viewing each others exhibitions, the schools will obtain greater understanding of Namibia’s cultural diversity. The mounting of the exhibition will promote an understanding of the significance of different forms of music and dances, and thus help develop mutual understanding which is a vital element in promoting tolerance and lessening prejudice in the country.
The competition’s overall prize is a trip to Cape Town, South Africa, to represent Namibia at the Robben Island Museum Spring School and there will be prizes for the top five teams including trips within Namibia to the Cheetah Conservation Fund, Namibian Heritage sites, technological equipment and educational material.
Ms Hilma Kautondokwa, the Museum Development Manager at the Museums association of Namibia said, “the competition is intended to transform young people into change-makers with a holistic appreciation of the educational value of traditional performing arts to inspire contemporary society.”
“We believe that education in schools can be constructively linked to traditional forms of education and that performing arts played an important educational role in the past. We believe that the competition will help build educational links between the youth and elders in the community,” she added.
Meanwhile, the association said, this year, the competition requires participants to focus on Performance Art, specifically traditional music and dance.
“Therefore, the competition encourages in-school youth to research the meaning behind dances, song lyrics, the materials and skills required to make and play traditional musical instruments,” MAN added.
The competition will be sponsored by Namibia National Commission for (NATCOM), The Namibian, Scientific Society of Namibia, Cheetah Conservation Fund, Robben Island Museum, Basler Afrika Bibliographien, Joe Vision Production, Out of Africa Hotel and Ministry of Education Arts and Culture.
Caption: In 2015 the Fridrich Awaseb History Club representatives and their teacher Johannes Mushongo were the School Clubs and Museums Exhibition competition champions.
