WINDHOEK – The Ovambanderu community will as of tomorrow convene at Okeseta, farm Groot Gunichas south of Gobabis in the Omaheke Region to honour their fallen heroes and to voice the community needs and aspirations.
Okeseta about 10 km outside Gobabis, is where the great Munjuku Nguvauva, the father of Kahimemua Nguvauva, his grandson Nikondemus Hiatuvao Nguvauva, Aaron Tjatindi, Komomupepo Ndjoze, Christoph Kanguatjivi and ten others were buried.
Every year August, the community remembers their fallen heroes, either those that are buried at Okeseta or those buried at Otjunda west of Gobabis.
Acting Chief Gerson Katjirua told New Era last week that the Supreme Council of the Ovambanderu Traditional Authority (OTA), the highest decision making body decided earlier this year to commemorate the 71st commemorations at Okeseta.
He said the community has been remembering their fallen heroes at Okeseta ever since the reburial of the remains of Hiatuvao Nguvauva in 1948 from Botswana, Rakops.
Katjirua said Hiatuvao Nguvauva is regarded as a hero by the community because of the role he played during the Battle of Otjunda on May 6, 1896.
He said Hiatuvao Nguvauva fled the country after the arrest of his father, Kahimemua Nguvauva by German Schuttstruppe at Omukurovaro (Kalkfontein).
Kahimemua Nguvauva led the Ovambanderu community in resistance against the German colonial occupation, in battles at Gobabis and Otjunda in the Omaheke Region in the 1890s.
Kahimemua was declared a rebel for defending their rights and property. A bounty was placed on his head and the position of chief revoked. It was at Otjunda in 1896 when the decisive battle took place.
Kahimemua was captured and tortured at Kalkfontein and taken by the German forces as a prisoner to Okahandja, where he and Nicodemus Kavikunua were brutally executed by a German firing squad on June 12.
The grave of Kahimemua Nguvauva is situated on an erf along Kahimemua Avenue in Okahandja. It was officially proclaimed a national monument on February 7, 1980.
According to Katjirua, in 1931, Hiatuvao visited Namibia, then Suid West Afrika among others to introduce the green flag to show the community where his father Kahimemua Nguvauva was arrested.
He said the green flag was introduced to differentiate the Ovambanderu from the Hereros.