Customary Law Ascertained Volume 1

CUSTOMARY LAW ASCERTAINED VOLUME 1 is the first of a three-volume series in which traditional authorities
in Namibia state the customary laws of their communities.

The recognised traditional authorities in Namibia are expected to ascertain the customary law applicable in their
respective communities and to note the most important aspects of the laws in written form. The then Ministry
of Regional and Local Government, Housing and Rural Development (now the Ministry of Rural and Urban
Development), and the Council of Traditional Leaders accordingly initiated the ascertainment of customary law.
The ascertainment project was housed in the Human Rights and Documentation Centre of the University of
Namibia, now integrated into the UNAM Library. The former Dean of the Faculty of Law of the University of
Namibia, Professor Manfred O. Hinz, has directed the project since its inception.

The Embassy of Finland to Namibia, and the Office for Development Cooperation of the Free Hanseatic City of
Bremen, Germany, provided the financial means for conducting the project.

Customary Law Ascertained Volume 1 contributes towards making customary law accessible to its users, and
also aims to contribute towards the evolution of traditional and informal justice systems in Namibia. It will be
of value to legal practitioners, academics, students, and members of Namibia’s communities whose laws are
presented therein.