It’s a Namibian Thing XI

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Here is a picture of one of Oranjemund’s lesser known secret locales. The Recreation Club was an essential communal facility to allow adults to meet friends for a quiet drink and maintain social circles in a suitably condusive environment. These were also the days of absolute chauvinism where men had their own bar from which women were prohibited to enter.

In the mens bar (pub) the men could let their hair down, get rat-arsed drunk, swear and fight and ‘protect’ their womenfolk and children from seeing this caveman behaviour by excluding them from the pub. But what to do for your wives? You have to keep them socially happy.

So you invent and create someplace called a Ladies Lounge where the wives met up to sip their Pimms or GnTs in more solubrious surroundings. Problem was, as responsible parents, what to do with kids while you enjoyed your drunken fisticuffs and cursing over bucketloads of beer or sipping a daquiri or martini sundowner with kindred spirits?

The answer was - The Lamb Park

The photo to the left shows the Lamb Park. So called because the entire family could come to the Rec Club, and dad could saunter off to Casey’s Bar with it rude parrot, and leave mum to sit inside the cooler and more refined air of the Ladies Lounge, enjoying her GnT and friendly chat/gossip while also keeping an eye on us ‘little lambs’ frollicking on the lawn outside.

I laughed my head off when Sandy Buchanan reminded me about this aspect of the Recreation Club. The picture it conjured up in my mind was of a typical colonial scene with the kids (here is the lamb connection), creating havoc on the lawn while behind those dark windows, many lascivious tidbits of gossip were being confidentially passed on to whomsoever bothered to pay attention.

And there we kids were. Playing innocently under an African sky, oblivious to the lives and intriques of our elders. We were happy. We had each other. It’s a Namibian thing.

I have been away too long. I will be back. I need to get earthed again.

It’s a Namibian Thing XI