The People Who Carry the Experience
On 2 December, members, guests, and invited stakeholders gathered in Windhoek for the Open Session of the Namibia Professional Hunting Association (Napha) Annual General Meeting (AGM) under nearly unbearable heat. Temperatures hovered around 40 degrees Celsius, the kind of heat that settles heavily on shoulders and drains energy long before midday. Even inside the venue, the weight of the conditions could not be ignored.
On 2 December, members, guests, and invited stakeholders gathered in Windhoek for the Open Session of the Namibia Professional Hunting Association (Napha) Annual General Meeting (AGM) under nearly unbearable heat. Temperatures hovered around 40 degrees Celsius, the kind of heat that settles heavily on shoulders and drains energy long before midday. Even inside the venue, the weight of the conditions could not be ignored.
It was an unintentional reminder of the realities faced daily by those working in Namibia’s conservation hunting sector. Long hours, physical labour, vast distances, and extreme weather are part of the job, not exceptions. As members reflected on the past year during the Open Session of the AGM, those realities formed an unspoken backdrop to every interaction and moment of recognition.
The Open Session is a space for engagement and acknowledgement. It brings together members, partners, and guests to reflect on shared values and to recognise the people who give practical meaning to conservation hunting in Namibia. During the course of the day, the programme paused to honour three such roles: hunting assistant, camp attendant, and chef of the year.
These awards were not about visibility or rank. They were about individuals whose work defines the lived experience of professional hunting, far from public platforms and formal recognition.
When the awards were introduced, the room grew quiet.
