ana ▁arrived ▁in ▁the ▁Ng amil and . ▁After ▁the ▁arrival , ▁many ▁of ▁the ▁ba Y ei ▁became ▁ser fs , ▁or ▁bat l h anka , ▁of ▁the ▁ba T aw ana . ▁Initial ly ▁the ▁serv itude ▁was ▁volunt ary ▁in ▁many ▁cases , ▁as ▁it ▁offered ▁protection ▁to ▁attach ▁ones elf ▁to ▁a ▁powerful ▁household . ▁ ▁In ▁Nam ib ia , ▁the ▁May ey i ▁were ▁first ▁recogn ised ▁as ▁an ▁independent ▁tribe ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 2 ; ▁before ▁they ▁were ▁covered ▁under ▁the ▁M af we ▁traditional ▁authority . ▁The ▁seat ▁of ▁their ▁k h uta ▁( ro yal ▁hom est ead ) ▁is ▁the ▁settlement ▁of ▁Sang w ali ▁in ▁the ▁J ude a ▁Ly abol oma ▁Const itu ency ▁of ▁the ▁Zam be zi ▁Region . ▁The ▁current ▁traditional ▁chief , ▁since ▁ 1 9 9 3 , ▁is ▁Chief ▁Bon if ace ▁S if u . ▁This ▁is ▁also ▁the ▁place ▁where ▁B ats ara ▁B ats api , ▁the ▁annual ▁cultural ▁festival ▁of ▁the ▁May ey i ▁people , ▁is ▁conducted . ▁This ▁recognition ▁( which ▁was ▁accompanied ▁by ▁that ▁of ▁the ▁M ashi ▁people ), ▁is ▁not ▁without ▁political ▁importance : ▁the ▁M af we ▁were ▁susp icious ▁of ▁the ▁move ▁since ▁the ▁Y ey i ▁and ▁the ▁M ashi ▁had ▁begun ▁sh ifting ▁their ▁political ▁alleg iance ▁to ▁SW AP O , ▁the ▁most ▁powerful ▁political ▁party ▁in ▁Nam ib ia , ▁and ▁traditional ▁oppon ents ▁of ▁the ▁M