KATIMA MULILO – In human history we do have people who make things to happen for good or bad. We also have spectators who stand aside and watch things happening and are not involved in the actual process of effecting change. This opinion intends to introduce the reader to those who made things to happen for good.
These men and women were prepared to take risks and stood tall among others. They were/are seen by many as supernatural beings, innovative, intelligent, and courageous and in most cases they are entrusted with influential leadership positions. We get these types of people in all walks of life, it can be the army, civil society, human rights organizations, trade unions, in churches, as well as public and private life. These people are often called “heroes (man) and heroines (female).” This drives us to the concept of “Heroism”. The Oxford dictionary defines a hero as “one admired for great deeds and noble qualities.” In Namibia we have heroes and heroines who were/are identified as having great deeds and noble qualities. We have them now, in the past and in future. Most of them are buried at the Heroes Acre, which is their final resting place. The main objective of this piece is to investigate the perception of Namibians on the meaning of the term “hero” and to establish the degree of importance of the Heroes’ Acre from a historical perspective. August 26 is Heroes Day in Namibia.
Who is a Hero?
The term “hero” is quite complex. Some scholars have alluded the term to the liberation war veterans whereas others view the term as any person most admired by people because of a particular development in sports, economy, social, political or religious activities. A hero is someone who distinguished him/herself having contributed significantly to a particular development. It can be a contribution in the war, or one has played a particular role in shaping a particular perception. For example after the Second World War, Winston Churchill, the British Prime Minister, distinguished himself as a formidable leader and was seen by most of his people as a hero. Kwame Nkrumah in Ghana struggled for nationhood from British rule, and he was regarded as a national hero by his people. Jomo Kenyatha, (Kenya), Julius Nyerere (Tanzania), in Namibia our first president the Founding Father of the Namibian Nation, His Excellency Dr Sam Nujoma and the incumbent President His Excellency Dr Hifikepunye Pohamba.
However, in the Namibian context, a hero/heroine refers much to the liberation struggle for independence. All those sons and daughters of the soil who never wavered, but opposed the yoke of colonialism in its totality are most referred too as heroes and heroines. To qualify my argument, all those heroes and heroines who have already found their final resting place at the Heroes Acre since the inauguration on 26 August 2002, are all Liberation War Sons and Daughters of Namibia.
None of them is a sports hero, an economic hero or from the social, academic or agricultural sector. This piece recommends that this term “heroism” needs to expand through discussions and research in order to fit into its true definition as defined by the Oxford Dictionary.
Recommendations
This study has established and recommends that for unity, peace, prosperity and progress to prevail in our celebration of our Heroes’ Acre and in memory of our national heroes and heroines, first and foremost, the concept “heroism” must be well defined in the Namibian context, not in general terms. The latter will create controversy and division among Namibian citizens. Lastly and very much important, the criteria as to who qualifies to be buried at the Heroes Acre must be objective and be a collective responsibility of all Namibians and do away with elements of race, tribe and partisan (sic).
• Charles Siyauya is a Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) member employed by Unam.
By Charles Siyauya