ON Monday the Ovaherero and Ovambanderu communities quietly observed 11 August.
Ovaherero and Ovambanderu communities since one does not want to take it for granted that all the other ethinic groups in Namibia observed this day.
This despite numerous lectures which have become nothing more than political mumbo jumbo by some of our political principles that the genocide of the Namibian people by Imperial Germany was inflicted on all people. There’s no denying that in one way or another many if not most Namibians suffered from German colonialism. That is an undeniable historical fact.
As much it is an unmistakable and undeniable historical fact that those who perished in the Battle of Ohamakari that took place exactly 110 years ago on Monday, that is on 11 August, 1904, was fought by the Ovaherero and Ovambanderu. This is much as also there can be no denial that the Battle of Hoornkrans on 12 April, 1893 took place between the Witboois and the German colonial intruders. Nor can or should it be denied that the Khauas Nama Chief, Andreas Lambert was executed on 20 March 1894 for refusing to sign a protection treaty with the Germans. There can also not be any other truism than the fact that Ovambanderu Paramout Chief, Kahimemua Nguvauva, was executed on 12 June 1896 by German henchmen. As much there cannot be any other historical twist and spin doctoring to the fact that the Ovambanderu fought the battle of Gobabis in May 1896, and then the Battle of Otjunda on 6 May 1896.
This is as much as the truth cannot be hidden that they did not fight these battles alone but were also with other clans, especially the Battle of Otjunda in which the Ondoto warriors participated.
In July/August 1897 the Orlam Afrikaners rose up against the German authorities in the south-east followed by the first battle in which they defeated the Germans on 5 July 1897. In October 1898 the Germans attacked the Bondelswarts Chief Wilhelm Christian and Paul Frederiks of the Bethany Orlams for refusing the registration of their rifles. As a result the Germans seized Kabus and Keetmanshoop.
The Kharo-!oan of Keetmanshoop were forcefully separated from the Bondelswarts community.
The history can also not be denied and hidden that the Swartboois under David Swartbooi engaged the German occupational forces in the battle of Khoekhoegowab: Kai/uis on 17 March, 1898.
On 28 January 1904 five hundred Aawambo under King Nehale of the Ondonga attacked Fort Namutoni. Again this is an undeniable historical fact.
Thus it is an undeniable and inerasable colonial historical fact that the Ovaherero and Ovambanderu fought the Battle of Ohamakari. All the battles mentioned are only pockets of the various battles the various Namibian indigenous communities fought, most of the time severally but all of which had an i aa atowards repelling the colonial advance and occupation of their country, all of which laid the foundation for the latter day liberation struggle, and eventually Namibian independence on 21 March 1990. Hence unlike those who would wish to make us believe otherwise, such battles have a place in the historical annals of Namibia.
They may have been fought severally by the indigenous Namibian communities at the time but not tribally as those claiming monopoly over Namibian colonial and resistance history would make us believe.
For years Namibian indigenous communities have been denied the knowledge of such history by successive colonial authorities to deny them any sense of nationalism and pride in such a rich history.
Now that colonialism is no more in Namibia, should it not be time that Namibians fully come to terms with their rich and pride histories, irrespective of the linguistic-cultural origin of such histories.
Namibians, their linguistic-cultural descent notwithstanding, should join one another in the joy and pride of their histories.
Because such histories are what can make Namibia a proud and united country, something some politicians superficially seem to have been wishing for but dismally have been failing to nurture. It is no coincidence that this week hardly any politician mentioned anything about the Battle of Ohamakari on its 110th anniversary, let alone one wonders if anyone of them even ever remembered such an important historical date.
And this exactly the superficiality of the clarion call for a “One Nation, One Namibia.”
Politicians have been failing to nurture such a sense of oneness and pride because they have been denying some Namibians their own histories.
And considering some histories more important than others.
Whether Namibian politicians don’t know, or they know but don’t want to know, it is a reality that all of us as Namibians have different and own historical genesis. It is only by and from first knowing, then internalizing and eventually coming to terms with our diverse history that anything called a United and Proud Namibia can emerge naturally and nurtured. A United and Pround Namibia or “My Namibia, My Country, My Pride”, cannot be founded on a historic vacuum, and worse on historical twisting but by sum totalling the diverse histories of her various indigenous communities, which include the colonial resistance history of such communities.
While the Battle of Ohamakari may have been fought by the Ovaherero and Ovambanderu by sheer historic coincidences and realities, like the case with many other battles fought by other Namibian indigenous cultural groups, such have in their different and respective occurrences contributed to the entity called a free, sovereign and independent Namibia today. Unless the realities of such histories are recognized and those who pride in them are given the chance which they for that matter do not need to beg anybody for but it is their inalienable right, the “My Namibia, My Country, My Pride,” dream shall only remain a figment of the imagination of Namibian politicians.
Thus as we are observing Ohamakari Battle this week, and also mourning one of the Sons of the Namibian Soil, Chief Tumbee Tjombe, whose remains shall find internal peace in the Okahandja shrine this weekend, his spirit and soul shall continue to hover over an independent and sovereign Namibia until the full realm of the histories of indigenous Namibians, and of battles like Ohamakari find full meaning in modern day Namibia.
As we commemorate this day, the 110 anniversary of the Battle of Ohamakari, we cannot but be proud of our rich historic heritage, and at the same time be conscious of the long road we still have to travel towards the logical conclusion of such battles, to the memories of the great sacrifices of our valiant forbearers, one them the late Paramount Chief of the Ovaherero, late Dr Kuaima Riruako, whom late Chief Tjombe is joining in Okahandja.
May their souls and the souls of all hose great warriors in the various battles live forever!
Kae MaÞunÿu-Tjiparuro