(require 'stdlib)

;; create a new namespace (obarray)
(define ns (make-vector 64 nil))

;; create a symbol in the namespace, and define a reference to it
;; (`intern' returns existing symbols, and creates non-existing ones)
(define foo-ref (intern "foo" ns))

;; set its value: not setq!
(set foo-ref '(1 2 3))

;; foo-ref's value is the synmbol foo, as interned in the new namespace
;; it's not defined in the normal namespace
(condition-case err
    (printf "foo = %s\n" foo)
  (error (puts err)))

;; get its value
(puts (symbol-value foo-ref))

;; is it possible to reference ns:foo directly?
(define direct-link-to-foo (symbol-value foo-ref))
(puts direct-link-to-foo)               ; (1 2 3)
(setq direct-link-to-foo                ; operates in the global namespace
      (map (lambda (x) (* x x)) direct-link-to-foo))
(puts direct-link-to-foo)               ; (1 4 9)
(puts (symbol-value foo-ref))           ; (1 2 3) !!! back in ns namespace