Indigenous names of fish and fishing gear in the Cuvelai, Kavango and Caprivi regions of Namibia

Abstract

This study discusses the local names of the inland fresh water fish species of the Cuvelai, Kavango and Caprivi regions of Namibia, in five indigenous languages: OshiWambo/ OshiNdonga, RuKwangali, RuGciriku, SiLosi and SiSubia. It also discusses local names of the indigenous types of fishing gear currently used in the inland water fishing practices in those regions. In the Cuvelai systems 24 fish species have OshiWambo/ OshiNdonga names, in the Kavango systems 60 have RuKwangali and RuGciriku names and in the Caprivi systems 68 have SiLosi and SiSubia names. Twenty types of fishing gear are recorded to have indigenous names in the Cuvelai, 25 in Kavango and 22 in Caprivi. Fifteen commonly available indigenous types of gear are exclusively used by women, who therefore play a crucial role in the exploitation and conservation of freshwater fish in Namibia.

African Journal of Aquatic Science 2004, 29(2): 249–258