Omuimbure womuhiva (traditional performer) Wilfred Tjiweza ( Photo W. Wiggers Collection ) As far as we know there are few historical recordings of omitandu. Yet some performances were recorded by the German adventurer Hans Lichtenecker who travelled to South-West Africa in 1931 to create an “archive of races”. Anette Hoffmann For this purpose he made life casts of people’s faces, hands and feet, took photographs and measured people. For the Phonogramm-Archive in Berlin, Germany, he produced sound recordings with a portable phonograph. Many of the historical recordings speak of the dismay and immense indignity that was caused by objectification of individual people as...

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image="2296" img_size="large" alignment="center" title="Omuhatamunua-with-Nikodemus-Kavikunua (photo-courtesy-of-deutschlandfunkkultur"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] This is the first in a series of short articles about the history of Otjiherero-speaking communities. It is based on oral histories collected by the theologian and missionary Theo Sundermeier, historical books, and South African government documents collected by this author. The purpose of this article is to gather Herero and Mbanderu communities’ reactions to this material and any additional information – confirming or contradicting- about these events to produce a collaborative understanding of Ovaherero and Ovambanderu histories. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Our story begins in the 1880s, when Samuel Maherero and Kanangatie Hoveka broke ties with Kahimemua...

Tjevera mo kavaka Mukuru Ouzandona uvari, kemwe kozombura ndano na karwe kozombura hambombari wa ri oupikapika tjinene.  Aruhe owo aau hiti moumba nu ovanene vawo aave tjiwa kutja tji pa tjitwa ouhahu poo tji pa zengi otjiṋa mokahuro kawo okutja mape ya owo mbwa tjiti. Ina younatje wa zuva kutja pe nomuhonge mokahuro u nondoṋeno mokukotora ovanatje mondjira, nu eye otja ningira ingwi omuhonge okuhungira ku novazandona mbo. Omuhonge wa yakura omatokero nga posi a rakiza kutja ma vatere indu tji ma hakaene nozonḓiṱona nḓo koumweumwe. Ina wa hinda omuatje ngo omuangu muhuka omunene rutenga, kutja indi erumbi ri kongorere ometaha....

Okahungi nga otja tji ka tjangwa i Mitiri Hiskia Upendura ngu ma maniak kombanda mba, omitiri onguru mouye wa Tjinene Me tja okuhepa kozonongo ozombwa nḓe kondjisa okunyomokisa eraka retu rOtjiherero, tjinene komberoo yetu yo National Institute for Educational Development (NIED). Eraka retu ra hara omuinyo, ra penduka. Me yandja okuhepa kwapeke konongo Ratjindua Kambatuku kokuṱuna omahandjauriro womiano vya Tjipangandjara. Tjinene tja ṱunine omuano mbwi “ Kao ya nata Kaambi”. Okavara inga okaṱiṱi okaapa, oku ka taara otjivara ihi otjivambi otjingi: opu pe heya kutja Kao ya nata Kaambi. Ami mba zuva nao . Ongombe ndjo aai ṱire eo ( otjivara)....