Desie Heita
24 April 2008
Lüderitz — The coastal town of Lüderitz is ready for the crayfish festival prompting most of the restaurants and hotels to redesign their menus for special offers of seafood platters at half the price during the festival.
The first-ever Lüderitz Crayfish Festival will take place this weekend and will become an annual event from this year on, said Fluksman Samuehls, coordinator of the festival.
"We want the festival to be like the Ongwediva Annual Trade Fair or the Windhoek Agricultural and Industrial Show. For us, however, we are using the crayfish as the draw card. Fish is very much linked to the history of Lüderitz," Samuehls said.
The festival is an initiative of the local business community in partnership with the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources.
The aim is to attract people to invest in Lüderitz and for people to visit Lüderitz, he said. Vendors will be selling food - traditional and seafood. Because of plenty fish at the festival, Samuehls says the event is also promoting fish consumption in its own way.
Fishing vessels, fisheries patrol boats and navy vessels will dock along the waterfront jetty for visitors to see. There will be guided tours into the vessels. A fishing vessel will do a live demonstration of how fishermen catch lobsters. The lobsters caught will be cooked right there in the public's view by Lüderitz's renowned chefs.
"We want people to appreciate the long sea-going culture of Lüderitz. After all Lüderitz is known as a fishing port," said Samuehls.
About five thousand people are expected to attend the weekend festival. All accommodation establishments are fully booked for the event.
Although the aim is to attract both investors and tourists, Samuehls said the direct beneficiaries from the inaugural festival are the operators in the tourism sector.
"This is directly in line with [the Lüderitz Town Council's] effort to diversify the economy. Lüderitz has been over-dependent on fishing. We want to diversify towards tourism, both domestic and outside tourists. We believe Lüderitz has an enormous history and we want to promote that," said Samuehls.
The history goes back to the German occupation of the then South West Africa.
"The Germans came via Lüderitz. Not only that, but we have the most German per capita than any other Namibian town. The first commercial bank started in Lüderitz. The Post Office in Namibia opened in Lüderitz. The first Namibian stock exchange was established in Lüderitz. The first desalination plant - taking salt from the seawater to create fresh drinking water - started here. One can comfortably argue that for Namibia modern civilisation started in Lüderitz," said Samuehls.
The Deputy Prime Minister, Libertina Amathila, will represent President Hifikepunye Pohamba at the festival.
Three radio stations - two private commercial stations and the public broadcaster - will be covering the event live for the entire weekend. The Namibia Broadcasting Corporation will be covering the event live on the three different local language radio stations.
But the festival is not all about business and attracting tourism. Samuehls said the festival organisers also wanted to give something back to the community.
"Sometimes our people feel there is nothing to do around here," he said.
Namibian musicians, Tate Buti and Jenise, will perform at the festival. There will also be performers from South Africa - the Flamico dancers and clowns.
Next year's festival is going to be held on a long weekend and will have corporate stalls for trade exhibitions to the public. Corporate stalls at this year's festival are limited with more small businesses and vendors.
"For adventure-seekers there is much to gain and appreciate. There will be plenty of outdoor entertainment activities designed to generate wonderful coastal experience," said Samuehls.
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