Cuca Shop

Cuca shop means "Shebeen" (an Irish word) -- an unlicensed house selling alcoholic liquor. The word "cuca" is derived from a Portuguese make of Cuca Beer, which was available in the area ex Angola (a Portuguese colony) during the 1960s and the 1970s. South African Defence force troops, who patrolled the northern area during the bush war, frequently purchased mahango beer and Owambo liquor at these tin shack shebeens.

The term "Cuca shop" features prominently in the launch edition of Hai Ti!, a Creative-Commons released comic strip that spreads the word about the ways that computers and the internet can transform learners' and teachers' lives. Hai Ti! is created by School Net Namibia, a nonprofit provider of internet service, hardware and training to the schools of Namibia.