It is with respect to the Otusira issue raised in this book and the Mmegi report that I wish to make a couple of observations.
Orusira is a word which has been adopted by the Herero people by corrupting the Setswana word Lesire. As in Setswana, the word refers to a mosquito-net.
The plural of that word is Otusira. Incidentally, the Herero net is, homemade, from thin, un-meshed, white cotton, unlike the modern type which is mostly a see-through mesh construction in which the fine mesh holes allow air circulation.
The reason for the choice of this material is purely on account of availability and durability. Besides being used to keep away nuisance insects such mosquitoes, the Otusira is also used, largely, as a camping facility, like a tent, depending on weather conditions. It is because of this use that the Herero people would pitch it wherever they happen to be staying over night, funerals included. In fact, during rainy seasons, it would be more of canvas tents pitched than Otusira, as this gadget has now become more affordable to the average Herero.
The day to day usage of this word, by the Herero, has remained as such without assuming any figurative dimension like is the case with such words as Dikobo (in Setswana) or Ondoroko (in Herero). If the author of the contentious text has lived with the Herero for long, as he is reported to have claimed in the Mmegi report, then he would have known these basic facts.
It is disheartening to note that this fixation with Otusira has found its way into the hallowed walls of the University of Botswana. One certain Dr. Peggy Gabo Ntseane of UB even claims that Otusira means replacement, and this particular submission is given in quotation marks as if to demonstrate that it is from good authority but then fails to reveal her source.
Refer to her work titled "Cultural dimensions of sexuality: Empowerment challenge for HIV/AIDS prevention in Botswana."
In fact, no known historical account, of any sort, on Herero culture or practices makes mention of the word Otusira or any practice hinged around it as implied by the author(s) of the primary school book and our 'learned' academic at the prestigious UB.
It would be pointless to cite the works of: [Hahn, J (The Herero, 1869), von Francois (Nama and Damara, Germany South West Africa, 1896), G. Viehe (The omaanda and otuzo of the Ovaherero, 1902), H. Vedder-1928, I. Schapera-1945, G. Gibson-1956, K. Alnaes-1989, J. Kavari-2002, or D. Dhuram-2002] to the likes of Ntseane, Selwe and Ngongolo. Apparently, these are not anything our 'accomplished authors' have seen in their lives, because had they seen this body of knowledge on Herero culture and history, they wouldn't have allowed their fertile imaginations to concoct a totally unknown "practice" called Otusira.
Of course I am not on record to deny that it may be the case that one may pitch up Otusira and use the privacy accorded for nefarious purposes as one could do in a car, but only perverted minds would be better placed to pursue that line of thinking and ascribe it to other people's culture without reference to any source or historical record.
It is perfectly alright for an adult to entertain such thoughts and keep them to himself or share it with other adults, if thinking in that manner satisfies his/her carnal gratification. It becomes a serious case of depravity for that adult to teach such a patent falsehood to especially minors.
Dr. Veundjua Tjiparuro
Kanye
