Omuthiya: Music History and Oshikoto

With the Museum of Namibian Music, Omuthiya offers a cultural focus on Namibian music. The wider destination of Oshikoto adds other nature and cultural themes. If you are looking for a holiday apartment, distinguishing between Omuthiya itself and the region’s separate destinations can help you choose the right focus for your trip.

Munamu: Namibian Musical Heritage

The Museum of Namibian Music (Munamu) in Omuthiya opened in 2021. At its opening, it provided a space to honour Namibian musical heritage, as well as room for temporary and travelling exhibitions. At the time, its aim was to be an “organic place” that would continue to develop, change and grow.

At the time, the seven galleries covered, among other topics, traditional musical knowledge, music from the liberation struggle, national anthems, the most recent winners of the Namibian Annual Music Awards, Namibian music icons, and music and dance. An interesting contrast lies between knowledge passed down through generations and more recent awards; at the same time, political history and national symbols are part of this thematic framework.

Omuthiya Springs on the Outskirts of Town

Omuthiya Springs are on the outskirts of Omuthiya. A report from December 2023 described them as a tourist attraction. This gives them a different connection to the place than the music museum located in Omuthiya. When looking for a holiday apartment, you can take this distinction into account when weighing up a focus in town versus one on the outskirts.

Wildlife Viewing and Etosha Gates in Oshikoto

In the wider destination of Oshikoto, Etosha National Park offers opportunities for wildlife viewing. Animals include elephants, rhinoceroses, springboks, lions, impalas, leopards, kudus, zebras and giraffes. Which species you may see can vary.

King Nehale lya Mpingana Gate is an entrance to Etosha National Park in Oshikoto. The 2023 access information gives Omuthiya Town and the Main Road as reference points and locates the gate 17 km from the B1. Another entrance is Von Lindequist Gate in the east: the 2023 regional description notes its connection to the B1; Tsumeb is the nearest town. The reference points described for the two entrances therefore differ, and neither should be equated with the town of Omuthiya.

Culture in the Wider Destination of Oshikoto

Lake Otjikoto also offers a cultural perspective on Oshikoto. According to a historical account of its name, the San knew the lake as Gaisis, meaning “ugly”; the Herero called it Otjikoto, which means “deep hole” in Otjiherero. Comparing the meanings makes language itself part of the region’s cultural history.

In the village of Oshikulu, in the Onyaanya Constituency in Oshikoto Region, Oshikulu Cultural Village is a living museum dedicated to Oshiwambo culture and introduces visitors to intangible cultural heritage. Visitor arrangements may change, so check the current visiting arrangements in advance. In Tsumeb, Helvi Mpingana Kondombolo Cultural Village is intended as an open-air museum that introduces various Namibian cultures to locals and tourists.

Tsumeb Museum is dedicated to the mining industry and its history in Tsumeb. Another focus is the artillery that the German Schutztruppe threw into Lake Otjikoto during the First World War so that Allied forces could not use it against German colonial troops. Together with the cultural villages and the lake’s naming history, this museum perspective shows the diversity of cultural themes in the wider destination of Oshikoto.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Ondangwa, Okaukuejo, Tsumeb, Fort Namutoni, Halali.

Go to the wider travel overview: Oshikoto.