Bottle Stores of Ovamboland

An email I received recently. Someone managed to collect photos of the various bars in the Oshakati area. You may remember me commenting on these bars when I was up north in February. Here is some proof of their existence.

Awe-inspiring monuments, great centers of learning and culture, masterworks of art, music and literature that have transcended time and space and touched the hearts of millions around the world – these are not what you think of when you think of Ovamboland. Goats, sand, a dry, flat, unremarkable landscape – it’s more like that, really. If you’ve been there, you know.

The people of this region have however made one contribution to world culture that is remarked upon and fondly remembered by all who visit: the Bottle Store.

I hereby humbly present one man’s tribute to this little-known and under-appreciated institution of north-central south-west African culture.

USA No Money No Life

Club the System

Welcome to Big Mamma No. 1

Far Well Mr. Happy

Love Station Bar and Good Love Station Supermarket

7Eleven

Bar

Beverley Hills

Easy Life Bar

Daily Need Bar

California Bar

The Bruce Lee Bar

Zionist Bar

Friend Ship Only

Generation Bar

USA No Money No Life

Hot Stuff Bar

Morning Fire Bar

Mr. Life Bar

Oversize Bar

Pu Dishena Save Bar

Right Said Fred

Saaraevo Bar

Square Jay Pub

Take Time Bar

Waka Doo Bar

The Green Man - Potatoes and Onions

This one technically isn’t a Bottle Store, it’s a vegetable store. I include it because I can’t resist the irony. You don’t normally think of potatoes and onions as “green vegetables”? Then you’ve never lived in Ovamboland!