WINDHOEK– Following the success of Mama Namibia, novel based on a girl who survived the Ovahere-Ovambanderu and German wars dating back to 1896 and 1904 and 1905, author Mari Serebrov, has written a children’s story about the Ovaherero culture.
The Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany funded the printing of
this publication, Jahohora and First Day, which was launched last Thursday,
November 27 at the Goethe Centre in Windhoek. The book is written in three languages, English, Otjiherero and German. “As I was writing the first part of Mama Namibia, I thought that some of the scenes with Jahohora would make good children’s books. When I mentioned the idea to Tate, the late
Chief Riruako, he urged me to do a children’s series to celebrate traditional Herero culture prior to the genocide. This book could not have been written without his encouragement and the help of my cousins, Dr. Hoze Riruako and Belinda Veii Riruako,” says Serebrov. Following the launch of Mama Namibia in 2013, the late Chief Riruako namedMari Serebrov the literary laureate of the Ovaherero.
This book is published by Wordweaver Publishing House, as part of their commitment to publishing children’s books in local languages, and by doing so, opening the world of reading to new generations in Namibia. German Ambassador Onno Hückmann, emphasised the importance of supporting a reading culture in Namibia as “thanks to this book, many children from all backgrounds in Namibia will have access to this story from traditional Herero culture.”
The book is illustrated by Romeo Sinkala. “I can’t say enough about Romeo’s illustrations. He did a fantastic job of bringing the story to life. When I first saw his work, I knew he was the one to illustrate the series,” enthuses Serebrov.
Dr. Riruako, nephew of the late Paramount Chief, was also present at the event and
called on Germany and Namibia to “forget the bitterness and plant the seed of
reconciliation […] with writings like Jahohora and First Day, Mama Namibia and manyothers. We should try and plant the first seed of peace and loving, and better
understanding between all people. I want to see a culture, a future, where both the German children and the Herero children, the Nama children and everybody else, hold each other as brothers and sisters in the arms, as the great Martin Luther King once said.”
The book is available at book stores country wide, and directly from the publisher in DiehlStreet, Windhoek.