Rev Heikki H. Ausiku

Epafroditus Unengu

Josef Kandjimi

In January 1967, approximately 48 learners who wrote Standard Vl in the Kavango area in 1965-66, were rounded up by Mr Louise Burger, the then education inspector, to commence their education in the newly established Rundu Secondary School. 

It was the first of its kind in the Kavango area. It was a great moment and new experience for learners to meet as they were from different backgrounds, five tribal dialects, different religions, clan families and a new body to be united at the first high school in Kavango. During those days, religion played a crucial role in our lives, and it was not easy to mingle with persons from other religions. 

The school had three teachers, namely Mr George Piek, the founding principal, Mrs Piek, the principal’s wife, and Mrs Grobbelaar as vice principal, who all taught us Afrikaans First Language, English, Arithmetics, Natural Science, Geography, History and Gardening as subjects. Biology and the German language came later in Form II and III for the Senior Certificate.

The 1967 founding learners of the Rundu Secondary School were Markus Hausiku (Marco), Heikki  Hausiku Ausiku, Lasarus Namadiko, Epafroditus Unengu, Jafet Moses, Klemens Musongo, Vaino Mutesi, Josef Kandjimi, Justinus Hausiku, Maurus Mukuya, Anselm Kanema, Rufus Sindimba, Sebaldus Sintungu, Ralf Munango, Stanislaus Kazana, Michael Hausiku, Josef Katjitjo, Johannes Mushongo, Gabriel Muhuli, Josef Haupindi (the oldest and teacher), Paskalius Kupembona, Joachim Haingura, Peter Thimende, Ernst Thimende, Edmund Likuwa, Samuel Amukena (old businessman), Josef Mavara, Floris Karapo, Pankratius Haingura, Kalistus Muhembo, Norbert Shidjukwe, Immanuel Hausiku, Christosmus, Hilkka Leevi, Kristofina Josef, Virgilia Kasiku Kudumo, Mathilda Nankero Sihova, Felistas Kandambo, Toini Mureka, Laimi Alfeusa, Hertha Alfeus, Kaija Namukuwa, Hildegard Mudi, Maria Benjamin and Sakaria Muremi. Unfortunately, years have gone by and we can’t remember the other three fellow learners. The list here above is the late Marco’s former school-classmates’ names. He is in number one. He hailed from the Bunya Primary School. There were two classrooms, A and B, and he was in A classroom with the three authors of this piece. Marco was a punctual student, good in debates and fluent in Afrikaans, the then official language in schools. He was good in athletics and soccer. He had a lightweight body that enabled him to run as fast as an arrow. He was a very talkative guy, friendly, very accessible, God-fearing and obedient. He was liked by everyone at school, calling or shouting at him ‘Mukoso, Mukoso…!’, his Kavango name. He was always in a jovial mood, smiling and laughing when talking to people. He was a very good person. He spent one year only at the Rundu Secondary School, as in 1968 he transferred to the St. Joseph’s College at Dobra, where he repeated Form I. Thereafter, he transferred again to Augustineum, where he finished his matric.  Academically, Marco’s classmates of the Rundu Secondary School achieved better destiny in education.   Some are and were teachers or officials of education, in medicine, in the judiciary, in diplomacy, in politics, in theology, in religion and in community or traditional leaderships. Since Marco left the Kavango in 1968, he settled in Windhoek. His place in Katutura was an epicentre of many Kavangos visiting, working or studying in Windhoek. He assisted them in various ways he could. Marco suffered several detentions during the liberation struggle for independence. He was treated as a foreigner in his motherland by the racist apartheid regime of South Africa. One of the authors of this article was among the 30 detainees who were cracked down in the Kavango area in 1983 for political activism. They were detained in the Osire camp, later transferred to Windhoek, Bethanie and Aus in the south.  While in detention in the Windhoek police cells, a police officer came with food in a shopping paper bag and said to him “take your food from your wife.” The detainee was stunned that his wife in Nkurenkuru could travel all along to take food there.  He then suspected that Marco was also arrested and detained somewhere. The police were confused because of the similarity of surnames. The guy ate the food of his uncle.  Food provided to detainees in police cells that time were mieliepap accompanied by boere coffee as relish. The Government of the Republic of Namibia did the right thing to confer him a hero’s funeral, for he deserves it. Finally, his school and classmates, learners of the Rundu Secondary School, dead or alive, will always be proud of him, missing him and remembering him in their minds forever and ever until we meet here beyond. May the Lord Almighty bless and protect the family of the late Tate Marco Hausiku from generations to generations. Amen. May his soul rest in peace.