28 Mar 2025
'Fools' are on the loose again in Namibia's capital. The 71st Windhoek Carnival, or WiKa for short, kicked off last night with the Prinzenball. This year's motto is: 'Mensch. Ärgere Dich nicht!' (Man. Don't get angry!)
This is a reference to the famous German board game from 1914 (see Wikipedia). A cross and circle game in which you get particularly annoyed when an opponent kicks out your token just before it reaches its safe home. And you have to start all over again.
Yesterday's opening evening was all about kicking out and starting anew. Well, maybe not kicked out, but the WiKa prince and princess from last year were bid farewell.
At the same time, the new princely couple took to the stage (see Wika's Facebook page ): Prince Flo I. , the universal genius (Florian Dillmann) and Princess Nadja III, our golden treasure (Nadja Darling). The two did not only lead through the evening yesterday. The next WiKa events will also be organised under their reign. The WiKa lasts a total of ten days.
The public parade will follow tomorrow morning after tonight's 'Prunksitzung'. The mayor will symbolically hand over the keys to the city to the princely couple at the city council. Then the convoy of colourful themed floats will parade along Independence Avenue. Carnival revellers throw sweets into the crowd at the side of the road.
After the ladies' and men's evening with masked ball and two international (carnival) evenings, the WiKa ends on Sunday next week with the traditional 'Kehraus'. There is also a youth carnival and a children's carnival (for dates, see the WiKa website).
It is well known that the Wika has had a strong connection to carnival in Germany since it was founded in 1952. Every year, German carnival bands and pop stars come to Windhoek. One example is Peter Wackel.
What is probably new, however, is that the Namibian carnival is travelling to Germany. Also to promote itself and Namibia as a travel destination at carnival events there. And with resounding success.
Wika 'fool' Marie Friede enthusiastically shared photos and videos on a WhatsApp group for the Namibian travel industry: "In Cologne, Namibia was represented by 26 Karnival visitors from Whk, Otji & Swk," she posted. In her non-carnival life, she is a dyed-in-the-wool tourism professional with tour operator African Profile Safaris.
"We have 140 bookings for Whk Karnival in April as a result," Marie Friede posted: "Sometimes marketing is done in different ways." Knowing full well that German carnival fans are also travelling around the country before or after the WiKa.
Unlike in Germany, carnival in Namibia does not have its roots in religion. WiKa was founded in 1952 by the Sportklub Windhoek (SKW, Windhoek Sports Club). It was a themed party to raise funds for the club. A video by Gondwana Collection Namibia on the 66th anniversary of the WiKa in 2018 tells more about the WiKa.
This also explains why the Namibian carnival does not take place at the beginning of Lent in February and extends over several months. The Küsten-Karneval (KüsKa, Coastal Carnival) in Swakopmund and the OtjiKa in Otjiwarongo take place in June. Lüderitz celebrates its LüKa in August or September.
Sven-Eric Stender
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