Namibia - Botswana and Namibia - page 620

dipera, have roles for both men and women, but are performed in lines with the genders
separated.
Visual Arts
The majority of Namibia's established modern painters and photographers are of
European origin, and concentrate largely on the country's colourful landscapes, bewitch-
ing light, native wildlife and, more recently, its diverse peoples. Well-known names in-
clude François de Necker, Axel Eriksson, Fritz Krampe and Adolph Jentsch. The well-
known colonial landscape artists Carl Ossman and Ernst Vollbehr are exhibited in Ger-
many. The work of many of these artists is exhibited in the permanent collection of the
National Art Gallery in Windhoek, which also hosts changing exhibitions of local and in-
ternational artists.
Non-European Namibians who have concentrated on three-dimensional and material
arts have been developing their own traditions. Township art - largely sculpture made out
of reclaimed materials like drink cans and galvanised wire - develops sober themes in an
expressive and colourful manner. It first appeared in the townships of South Africa during
the apartheid years. Over the past decade or two, it has taken hold in Namibia, and is de-
veloping into a popular art form.
In an effort to raise the standard and awareness of the visual arts in Namibia, a working
group of artists - including Joseph Madesia and François Necker - established the
Tulipamwe International Artists' Workshop in 1994. Since then they have held a long list
of workshops in farms and in wildlife lodges around Namibia where Namibian, African
and international artists can come together and share ideas and develop their skills base.
Namibian Cuisine
Staples & Specialities
Traditional Namibian food consists of a few staples, the most common of which is oshi-
fima, a doughlike paste made from millet, and usually served with a stew of vegetables or
meat. Other common dishes include oshiwambo, a rather tasty combination of spinach and
beef, and mealie pap, an extremely basic porridge.
As a foreigner you'll rarely find such dishes on the menu. Most Namibian restaurants in
big towns like Windhoek, Swakopmund and Lüderitz serve a variation on European-style