Tommy Katamila 

Excitement about the cross-border conference of Ovaherero and Ovambanderu descendants this weekend at Karakubis in Botswana is reaching fever pitch. 

The brethren and sistren, joined at the hip through generations are congregating for an event dubbed the ‘Otutjindo Tjetu History Conference’ from Friday to Sunday. 

Otutjindo means migrations, movements or relocations from one point to another. 

The imbizo will draw about 300 interested people from Namibia, Botswana, South Africa and those overseas at this little village, situated 60 kilometres from the Buitepos border post. 

“The conference’s thrust is to retrace the footprints of the Ovaherero and Ovambanderu as they descended from the Great Lakes of Africa way back, into present-day Namibia through the ages, and lately, movements within southern Africa. 

“It seeks to explore the times when these people arrived in present-day Namibia, the circumstances to which they were exposed such as wars, famines, livestock diseases and others, which resulted in a good number of them migrating, fleeing and dispersing to neighbouring land,” proud descendant Stephen Kazeire Raurau Hangara told New Era on Monday. 

This conference is the first of its kind, considering the magnitude, the essence and the purpose, he observed. 

“It’s well-known that most parts of the tribe’s history is not written. 

The little that has been written or recorded is believed to have been distorted or biased by those who wrote it. For obvious reasons, that is the Germans. 

Therefore, the expected attendees will help piece together the remnants of the history for purposes of recording and preserving it for future reference,” he added. Some resource people with expertise in various areas will be assembled to give presentations. Hangara said there may have been similar gatherings in the past, but things were probably done in passing. 

“This time around, we are focusing on something a bit deeper, being the exhuming, retrieval and resuscitation of our history, especially where we come from. 

We have on our agenda items such as recitals of folklore, dances and songs. 

Our original identity, our original culture before it came to be adulterated by different courses such as assimilation, will be analysed. 

We are tracing it back from where we originate. For those who are in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Togo, Cameroon, southern Namibia, or wherever they may be, the question is before they got there, where did they come from?” he asked rhetorically. 

Another session will feature discussion groups of dynasties (ozonganda) believed to be associated with how they are related, and how they came to seemingly be distinct. There will furthermore be an open overnight around-the-fire session for everyone. Ovapunde vo muhiva (dancers combining recitals) will feature as interludes, while artefacts and pictures will be displayed. 

“Let us all dream it to make it a reality,” Hangara urged. Chairperson of the Oorlams’ group from southern Namibia, Cedric Basson, is inspired by the upcoming conference. 

“We are anticipating taking along a powerful delegation comprising about 15 people. The Vaalgras Oorlam Hereros or Nama-speaking Hereros, as they are affectionately known, are direct descendants of the original Ovambanderu and Hereros who were split by numerous wars before, during and after the 19th century, and are today based in Vaalgras,” he noted. 

Basson said it is, therefore, imperative for them to be part of this great conference to tell their story. 

In this southern part of the country, there is the Mbaeva community, sometimes referred to as the Biwa; there are the Kandjoze families, referred to as Konjore; as well as the Stephanus, Katzao, Hinda and Apollus communities. 

The conference is not being held under the auspices of any tribal authority, or any established entity. 

The participants themselves will thus decide whether it will be held annually or not, and whether it will rotate between the three countries. 

-katamila@yahoo.co.uk