School of Science

Permanent URI for this community

http://hdl.handle.net/11070/3311

Browse

Browsing School of Science by Issue Date

Filter results by year or month
Now showing 1 - 20 of 397
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Die Kavango-gebied
    (1991) Smit, Pierre;
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Youth and Culture in Namibia
    (1998) Maree, Maretha
    BACKGROUND ON NAMIBIA Namibia is the last colony in Africa to attain Independence. The Republic of Namibia, lying across the Tropic of Capricorn, has a population of about 1.8 million and covers an area of 824.292 sq km. It is bordered by South Africa in the south, by Botswana on the east and Angola on the north, while the narrow Caprivi Strip in north east extends Namibia's borders to the Zambezi river and a short border with Zambia. The name Namibia was officially adopted by the United Nations in 1968. lt replaced the colonial name of ' South West Africa'. The name derives from one of the oldest deserts in the world, the Namib. The desert forms a narrow plain 65-16km wide and extending 1 600km along the coast, separating the rest of the country from the south Atlantic Ocean. The fine sand of Namib forming huge sand dunes cover one fifth of the country. Namibia's major resource, diamond and uranium, is to be found in the fine sand of the Namib desert. However, the area is almost devoid of vegetation and therefore near to uninhabitable. The eastern parts of Namibia is covered by a semi-desert, the Kalahari, were there is some vegetation. In Ovamboland, the northern parts ofthe Kalahari, crop cultivation is possible, due to a network of watercourses known as 'oshanas'. In between the Namib and the Kalahari deserts lie the Central Plateau with an average elevation of 11 OOm above sealeveL It covers one half of the country. "The Plateau stretching the full length of the country, is Namibia's most fertile area and thus most suitable for human settlement. In its northern parts, the Plateau is suitable mostly for cattle-rearing but also for crop cultivation on a limited scale. The southern part is much dryer, covered with shrub steppe and it is unsuitable for anything but cattle, goat and/or sheep-rearing. Average annual rainfall is 270mm and droughts are frequent. Namibia has the driest climate south of Sahara." (Strand: 1991 ). The implication of the above mentioned is that vineyards cannabis coca plant or opium poppies is not cultivated in Namibia, and that all substances of abuse are imported.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Local knowledge of natural resources in rural Namibia
    (1998) Mosimane, Alfons W.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Une histoire des grands hommes
    (1999) Gillouin, Carine
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Challenges for anthropology in the African Renaissance
    (University of Namibia Press, 2000) Zappen-Thomson, Marianne
    It ts generally accepted that language aiXI culrure are closely hnkod. It is interesting to note rhat while a definition of language seems self-evidem, the term 'culru.re' -although used extensively - is seldom clearly defined. In order 10 discuss the Teaching European Language and Cullurt agawt the background of 'African RenaiSsance' the conc:ept of 'culrure' needs to be clearly defined. Particularly sinc:e the African Renaissance, as will be discussed later. is based upon a shilt m COn'iCIOusness Seen from tlllS perspecuve teaehmg European languages and culrure is part of development witllin the 'African Renaissance'. For the purposes of this paper Hofstede's (1993) concept of culture will be used. He maintains that everyone, during the course of his or her life acquires certain mental, emotional and behavioural patterns that he also calls "mental software" {ibid.: 18). The ever-changing social environment influences this "mental software" or culture. l11is means that in principle any person could discard certain panerns and replace them with new ones. But, says Hofstede, this is normally a complex and difficult process aiXI thus nor reall)ed very often. Hofstede's concept of culture inregrates the so-<:alled 'high culture' with the 'everyday culture' and pertairu to the past as well as to the comemporary. 'High culru.re' refers tO luerature, mus1c and art whereas 'everyday culru.re' includes eating habits, greeting riruals and hygene. Due to the fact that the individual has the ability and possibility of choosing which panerns he or she wants to make his or her own, culture ts not necessarily synonymous w1th nauon any longer
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Reading between the lines
    (National Museum of Namibia, 2001) Gwasira, Goodman
    I .arge artifacts such as buildings, statues and open spaces are patterned through time in particularpolitical, social and economic circumstances. The dialectics of power, domination and resistance that characterised the period in which the artifacts were fashiontd can be understood by reading the artifacts as silent text􀇑. If we dedpl1er the grammar, metaphors rmd the symbolism that is embedded in the large artifacts then we can understand their meaning. By developing tools that can enable us to understand the spatial setting, time and social contexts of monuments, i t becomes possible to unravel lhe puzzle of their extralinguistic character. This paper discusses some of the issues that appear to be communicated through the symbolism of three statues from the University of Cape Town (U.CL).
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Late Quaternary southwestern African terrestrial-climate signals in the marine record of Walvis ridge
    (2001) Stuut, Jan-Berend W.
    Abstract taken from website http://www. library.uu.nl/digiarchief/dip/diss/2002-0503-091238/inhoud.htm
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    The effect of gracilaria verrucosa on the growth rate of pacific oyster (crassostrea gigas)
    (University of Namibia, 2002) Hipandulwa, Gabriel
    In natural aquatic systems, there are ecological balances between different species of organisms and individuals. However in culture conditions the systems are usually meant to favour the preferred organisms, but still other organisms might invade and share in the utilization of resources. Gracilaria verrueosa i an unwanted plant that grows in marine cultured beds along the Namibian coast and this experiment showed that it adversely affects the growth performance of the Pacific oyster ( Crassostrea gigas). The decrease in growth of the oyster in rafts was directly linked to the presence of Graci/aria verrucosa. This experiment quantitatively showed that invasion quantities of Graci/aria verrucosa influences the percentage growth reduction rates of oyster. The various seeding rates (0, 400, 800 g) of Graci/aria verrucosa resulted in significantly (P>0.05) reduced growth rates of oysters by 21 % and 37¾ in medium and high seeding rates of the seaweed, respectively. This was shown to be significant using the t-test and Wilcoxon Sum Rank Test (P>0.05). Although conducted over a short growing period of 6 weeks, the experiment demonstrated detrimental invasion of Graci/aria verrucosa in oyster rafts
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Working toward church unity?
    (2002) Gurirab, Gerhardt;
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    The reactions of ozone with compounds relevant to drinking-water processing: Phenol and its derivatives
    (University of Namibia, 2002) Mvula, Eino N.
    Kinetic and mechanistic investigations on the reactions of ozone with phenol and some of its derivatives (hydroquinone, catechol, phloroglucinol, pentachlorophenol, pentabromophenol, 1,2-dimethoxybenzene, 1,4-dimethoxybenzene and 1,3,5-trimethoxybenzene) have been carried out. These compounds were chosen, as they can serve as models for compounds which are abundant in surface waters and wastewater. The scope of the investigation was widened by including dihydrogen sulfide, often a contaminant of ground waters in arid areas, and its organic analogues. By employing various analytical techniques, such as high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC); ion chromatography (IC); nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR); gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectroscopy (GC-MS), it was possible to identify and quantify reaction products. The stopped-flow technique was employed to measure rate constants of ozone reactions. When strong substrate absorptions at 240–280 nm prevented the use of this technique, rate constants were measured by competition kinetics. Pulse radiolysis was used for the study of OH-induced reactions. Methods were developed for the detection and quantification of reactive intermediates in ozone reactions such as singlet dioxygen, OH, O2 and hydroperoxides. A germanium diode detector was used for the quantification of O2(1g) formation. For the detection of OH formation, 2-methyl-2-propanol and DMSO were used and tetranitromethane was applied for the detection of O2. Based on the products in the reactions of ozone with phenol and its derivatives, various reaction pathways have been identified. Ozone reacts with phenol and its derivatives by ozone addition (Criegee mechanism), electron transfer and O-atom transfer reactions. The Criegee mechanism, practically the only reaction with olefins, often occurs to only a small extent here. Instead, OH (up to 26%), O2 and O2(1g) are major intermediates. The occurrence of the Criegee mechanism was confirmed by the yields of hydrogen peroxide and their corresponding carbonyl compounds. The Criegee mechanism is shown to be more pronounced in methoxybenzenes as compared to phenols. For example, in the reaction of ozone with 1,4-dimethoxybenzene, the hydrogen peroxide yield (56%) and that of methyl(2Z,4E)-4-methoxy-6-oxo-hexa-2,4-dienoate (52%), which are the products of the Criegee type reaction, are much higher than that of hydrogen peroxide (5.6%) in the reaction of ozone with hydroquinone. A possible reason for this is that, i.e. the zwitterion formed in the reaction of ozone with hydroquinone may undergo a deprotonation reaction [reaction (1)] which competes with the 1,3- dipolar cyloaddition [reaction (2)] whereas in the case of the zwitterion formed in the reaction of ozone with 1,4-dimethoxybenzene, the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition may occur without hindrance.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Source of lunette dune sediments: A geomorphic terrain analysis approach in Etosha National Park, Namibia
    (2004) Hipondoka, Martin; Busche, Detlef; Kempf, Jurgen
    The presence of so-called lunette dunes in the lee of pans in northern Namibia sprouted a discussion on the formation of the shallow basins related to them. These lunette dunes are made up of larger particles than those found in the pans, from which the sediments are thought to have originated. At Etosha Pan, this contradiction is compounded by the fact that the dunes are found on the northwestern and western side of the pan, whilst the prevailing dominant wind, believed to have played a formative role in their development, blows from the northeast. Ancillary data, in concert with high-resolution, multi-date satellite imagery were examined through the prism of geomorphic terrain analysis. The resultant indicators unequivocally point to the Ekuma delta, on the northwestern rim of the pan, in direct opposition to the pan floor proper, as the source of these dune sediments. It is therefore probable that coarser sediments found on the lee side of similar pans can be similarly explained as originating from former inlet deposition and not from wind excavation in the process of pan initiation as popularly held.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Electronic commerce in Namibia: Its growth, present status and potential
    (University of Namibia, 2004) Magenya, John J.
    Wide varieties of trading methods are rapidly being replaced by the use of computers and communications networks the world over. This new concept of trading is known as Electronic Commerce (e-commerce). Great potentials exist for saving costs and improving services by utilizing this technology. Examples of phenomenal successes and staggering cost savings are just too many. Profits in millions of dollars are mentioned with ease, as a result of applying e-commerce. It is apparent that the industry is trading a few paces ahead of the academics in the area of e-commerce. A research study on e-commerce trends in the Namibian industry was therefore found necessary. This research work is intended to make a contribution on the knowledge of e-commerce status in Namibia and help in the socio/economic development in the country, especially to the small business community. Key technological inhibitors and drivers of business-to-business and business-to-customer e-commerce have been identified and presented in this research. Electronic Commerce offers an opportunity for business development. In Namibia, we are being left behind by the developed world mainly because of lack of awareness of the existence of e-commerce and its potential advantages. Even in cases where we may be aware of its existence, the application software, which is used in this area, is expensive and not easily affordable by small businesses. Another problem is that some small businesses cannot be able to use e-commerce when they are struggling to sustain themselves economically. The specific case presented in this thesis is that of mushroom growers in Namibia. This research develops a trading software package that is used by trading partners in the country to improve their trading practices, and thereby benefit from the advantages that e-commerce offers. Although applied to mushroom growers, however, the concept is applicable to any other group of commodity producers. The hypotheses that there exist poor knowledge and poor use of e-commerce in Namibia; that companies in Namibia can improve their efficiency and cut on costs by using e-commerce; and that the existing infrastructure in the country is good enough to support e-commerce activities have been assessed and analyzed in this work. This was accomplished by administering questionnaires, personal interviews, and developing a computerized software. The computerized system, which consists of a Web site supported by a database management software and other networking technologies, has been created and used by a number of students in a computer laboratory simulating trading among each other. The effect of this method of trading has been observed and recommendations made to extend the technology to other businesses. The research was conducted in Windhoek.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    The pre-colonial costumes of the Aawambo significant changes under colonialism and the construction of post-colonial identity
    (University of Namibia, 2004) Shigwedha, Vihlo
    Pre-colonial Oshiwambo costumes played a significant role in ensuring the continuity of the socio-cultural and ethico-moral principles of the Aawambo. This study aims to record, document, describe and analyse the circumstances that caused aspects of Aawambo traditional heritage to disappear. The thesis analyses the meaning of traditional costumes before European influence and the impact that the change from traditional costumes to European fashion has left on the community today. It is strongly argued that Christianity and colonialism should be held accountable for influencing the community to abandon its traditional costumes. The thesis examines the following central questions; what was the impact of cultural imperialism on the material culture of the northern kingdoms? In what ways did material culture change during the initial period of contact and subsequent conquest by colonial forces? Why did new forms of material culture so rapidly displace traditional items? To answer these central questions the thesis is divided into four main chapters with an introduction (Chapter One) and conclusion (Chapter Six). Chapter two examines traditional fashion and identity among the Aawambo. This chapter exhibits a number of photographs that compliment the text and argues that these traditional costumes reflected the value systems of the society that produced it and significantly contributed to the construction of the identity of that society. Chapter three examines the significant influences that led to changes in traditional costumes, the new fashions and the initial community response to these introduced changes. This chapter argues that changes in material culture in the seven kingdoms of northern Namibia were strategically urged by the direct intervention of missionaries and colonialists to get rid of Aawambo traditional costumes and stigmatise them as `primitive’ and `barbaric’. Chapter four examines contemporary ‘traditional costumes’ and the discourse of ‘culture and tradition’ from the perspective of the community. It argues that the new ‘traditional costumes’ demonstrate prominent features of pre-colonial leather costumes, demonstrating that the community is still inspired by their ancestors’traditions. Chapter five examines general public opinion and concerns on the implications of western dress in the community today. It goes further to suggest ways and examine efforts that have been made to preserve our unique cultural heritage and identity. The thesis suggests that the display of costumes and other objects of material culture from the northern kingdoms must be done in more sophisticated ways in Namibian museums and most importantly integrated more into the educational system.