GAM – Jopohambo Ndjarakana’s face lights up every time he talks of the fondness about Namibia he grew up with, and how he has longed to return to the land of his ancestors. 

For him and many others, Namibia remained the proverbial Land of Milk and Honey – akin to the biblical Canaan.
He is among a group of Ovaherero and Ovambanderu who returned to Namibia last week after having lived in Botswana for decades. 

They are descendants of Namibians who fled to Botswana at the height of the 1904-1908 Ovaherero Genocide by the brutal German colonial forces.

The 84-year-old sits comfortably on his folding camping chair during the interview, occasionally nodding in agreement to the questions being posed, but remaining pensive most of the time. 

The sacrifice he made to return to Namibia has been immense, as he left his entire family behind. 

None of his two wives or 13 children who remained in Botswana wanted to come to Namibia. 

They turned the voluntary repatriation offers down.

“They did not want to come with me. They said they will remain in Botswana. I was disappointed, but decided to still be part of the repatriation exercise,” he said.

The journey
Ndjarakana’s father crossed into Botswana as a 12-year-old boy. They were part of a retreating regiment of Ovaherero fighters and civilians who were fleeing the range of the more superior armed German forces. 

As a boy, his father and another boy were tasked with leading an elderly blind man across the vast Omaheke sand plains into Botswana, eventually settling in Ngamiland in north-west Botswana.

He lived and eventually died in Botswana.
“My father spoke fondly of how he, as a boy, had to take on the task of leading an elderly blind man through the desert into Botswana. He eventually settled in Botswana, and was a good father to us,” Ndjarakana said.

Welcome home 

The group were welcomed in style by relatives, government leaders and other Namibians – including with riveting cultural performances.

The titillating voices of a San cultural group tears through the crowd as the group delivers what it is best-known for. The group comprises San girls from areas around Tsumkwe in northern Namibia. Their performance, although brief, had the crowd on its feet and thumping to the vibrations which filled the air.

A few moments earlier, another cultural group from neighbouring Botswana also had the crown begging for more, as it delivered a rejuvenating performance. Here, even the dignitaries gathered got lost, and got footloose. It was a special sight.

Clad in plain white T-shirts designed specially for the day, the group sat close to each other during the ceremony. There was a neat row of chairs which had been reserved for them. From there, they observed speeches and performances to welcome them back home.
With occasional whispers in their adopted Setswana language – which all are fluent in – the group patiently sat through the official ceremony, and watched activities unfold in great anticipation. It’s been a long journey to this day for the returnees.

Seated nearby were Gam and Eiseb residents – who themselves also returned to Namibia from Botswana in the same fashion more than 20 years ago. They exchanged occasional glances, smiles and nods. Happy nods. 

In the silence, unspoken words expressing appreciation from both sides could be heard. Many are relatives, while some are even siblings of those who had remained in Namibia.

Uncertainty
The uncertainty about the life that awaits them in Namibia can somehow be read on their faces, but the excitement of the prospects that lie in wait seem to wipe away any doubts. They are elated to be at the Dobe Border post on this day; they have waited long for it.

The story about a neighbouring country called Namibia – from which their ancestors came – has been told and retold in Botswana to these descendants. It has been a favourite campfire story for years, and the narration spoke of a land that held great prospects and promise for them. They all wanted to see this land.

“We are happy to be home. This has always been our home; the home that we were told about by our parents, but never got to see until now,” said 35-year-old Tjetjoo Rijeterera.

“For once, we will cease being Batswana, and finally get to be called Namibians. It’s been good living in Botswana, but the longing for the land of our ancestors has been strong,” she said.

She hopes that the youth returning to Namibia will be given ample opportunities for advancement so as to eventually contribute to the economic advancement of their parents.
The occasion brought together different chiefs and other traditional leaders – some of whom rarely meet in similar settings. The omen was a good one, as one of them exclaimed. For once, differences brought them together as opposed to dividing them.

As the ceremony winds up, the group of returnees rise and stand on attention for the singing of the national anthems. Their faces lighten up as they wait for the singing of the Botswana national anthem “Lefatshe leno la rona”.
Without waiting for the recorded anthem, the group started singing. Note for note, they went through the anthem, with their voices drumming though the tent in which they were seated. 

Emotions

Emotions were clearly written on their faces as they sang an anthem they have been singing for years, but one that they might not get to sing again for a long time – or perhaps never.

As the sun set on Gam, the returnees were in their new home – a reserved area located some 2km outside the settlement. This will be used as a reception centre for them and many others to come. For many, this will be home for a long time.
The area has the basics; a borehole, large water storage tanks and is fenced off for protection and to keep animals out. For now, the returnees are housed in tents, but they are permitted to build their own structures if they so wish.

“I am really happy to be back home. We heard of Namibia for a long time, and being here is what we always wanted,” said Naomi Tjingaveta.
Soon, the area – yet to be officially named – descends into darkness with a few solar- powered lights providing the only light on site. The returnees retire to bed. It’s been a long journey; a long walk to the country of their ancestors.

Genocide 

Earlier this year, German president Frank-Walter Steinmeier acknowledged that it is time for his country to take full responsibility and tender a formal apology to Namibians for the atrocities committed during the 1904-08 genocide. 

He made those remarks during President Hage Geingob’s memorial service in February. 

At the time, the German head of state said his government remains fully committed and ready to take relations between the two countries to new heights, and that can only be achieved by addressing the sensitive genocide question.

This pledge came after nearly a decade of negotiations between the two countries, which in 2021 culminated in a draft joint declaration and a 1.1 billion euros (about N$18 billion) offer for development projects in seven identified regions of the affected communities. 

 The joint declaration was, however, rejected outright by local communities and various political parties, who all deemed it insufficient, and therefore an insult to them.

In the eyes of Namibians, the Herero and Nama genocide was a campaign of ethnic extermination by the German colonial government. It was the first genocide of the 20th century, and saw brutal German colonial forces killing an estimated 100 000 Hereros and Namas. The first phase of the genocide was characterised by widespread death from starvation and dehydration due to the Hereros being prevented from leaving the Namib Desert by cruel German forces. 

Once defeated, thousands of Hereros and Namas were imprisoned in concentration camps, where the majority died of diseases, abuse and exhaustion.